Maharashtra: Aghadi drafts stategy for speaker’s election

MUMBAI: A day after the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) won the vote of confidence motion, it drafted a strategy for the crucial election for the speaker’s post on Sunday.
While Congress has nominated Nana Patole, the high-profile legislator from Sakoli, BJP has fielded Murbad legislator Kisan Kathore for the post.
Though legislature rules provide for a secret ballot for the speaker’s elections, MVA will invoke Rule 57 of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Rules to seek open voting.A senior NCP leader said this would allow a member of the house to move a proposal to suspend a particular motion which the speaker is empowered to accept.
“A member can move a resolution urging the house to suspend the provision of secret voting. Then the speaker will have to put up the proposal for a vote before the house. If the members agree by majority, then the speaker will suspend the rule for secret voting and conduct the election for the speaker’s post in the open,” he said.
The NCP leader said on Saturday the BJP deliberately did not participate in voting on the motion of confidence so that its real strength in the house will not be known. Under such circumstances, if a member moves a proposal under Rule 57, the speaker will put up the proposal to vote on Sunday.
“It will be a piquant situation for the BJP. If it votes against the proposal, then even before the voting for the speaker’s post, its strength will be known in the house. If it boycotts the proceedings, there will be no secret ballot for the speaker’s election. In that event, too, its strength will be known,” he said. Former speaker Dilip Walse Patil, who has been appointed the pro tem speaker, will play a crucial role on Sunday when the speaker will be elected.
Meanwhile, Saturday was Walse Patil’s day as he took on former Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, said political observers. “BJP felt that it will catch Walse Patil unawares, but he proved them wrong by tactfully replying to issues raised by former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis,’’ he said.