Mumbai : Haribhau K. Bagde, BJP leader and senior legislator from Phulambri in Aurangabad, was elected unopposed as the new speaker of the Maharashtra assembly on Wednesday.
Pro-tem Speaker J P Gavit made the announcement at the commencement of the three-day special session of the assembly. According to the state’s tradition, Bagde’s unanimous choice to the august post was facilitated after Shiv Sena’s Vijay Auti and the Congress’ Varsha Gaekwad withdrew their nominations on Wednesday after talks with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis late Tuesday. With this, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) minority government notched its first critical legislative victory before facing the vote of confidence in the legislature later in the afternoon.
After being elected, Bagde was led to the dais by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavais along with all leaders of legislative parties. Fadnavis then proposed a motion to congratulate Bagde.
He described Bagde as a friend of all. He also spoke of Bagde’s deep interest in agriculture and irrigation and his ideological roots in RSS and the erstwhile Jana Sangh.
Shiv Sena legislative party leader Eknath Shinde, Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil of the Congress, PWP’s Ganpat Patil, along with many other leaders spoke highly of him and said he would do justice to the post and keep up with the tradition.
