Three-way contest looks likely for post of Maharashtra speaker

However, CM Devendra Fadnavis says he will attempt for an unopposed election on November 12

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The election for Speaker of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly will witness a three-cornered contest. Till 3 pm on Tuesday, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) nominee and former minister Haribhau Bagde, Shiv Sena legislator Vijay Auti and Congress nominee and former minister Varsha Gaikwad had filed nominations. The election is slated for Wednesday, if the Sena and Congress do not withdraw their nominees by 10 am.

The Sena’s move to field its nominee has caught the BJP unawares, especially when the later is still hopeful of bringing the Sena on board and seek its support to achieve the majority in the Assembly. It also expects an understanding with the Sena on providing ministerial berths to the latter’s legislators in the state cabinet headed by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

The Sena has 63 members in the Assembly.

Sena president Uddhav Thackeray has castigated the BJP for dallying over reaching an agreement, and, therefore, took the decision to field its candidate for the Speaker’s post.

The Congress with 42 members cannot support the candidate of either the BJP or the  Sena and therefore fielded its own nominee.

Fadnavis on Tuesday said he would speak to the Sena and the Congress to withdraw their candidates to enable an unopposed election is possible. “This is to maintain the tradition of the state Assembly and the sake of a healthy democracy,” he said.

The Sena is not prepared to yield, said party leaders.  Uddhav has convened a meeting of legislators late on Tuesday evening to take a call on whether or not to contest.

In the 288-member Assembly (one BJP MLA, Govind Rathod from Nanded district, died after the Assembly poll results were declared on October 19), the BJP has 121 members, and the support of a member of its ally, Rashtriya Samaj Party. It has also mobilised support of seven independents and three other MLAs belonging to the Bahujan Vikas Aghadi. Besides, eight legislators of smaller parties could either support its nominee or abstain from voting.

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), with 41 members, has already declared outside support to the BJP government. NCP President Sharad Pawar said his party would not destabilise the government and  MLAs belonging to his party would on Wednesday take a decision on voting during the election of the Speaker.