BJP MLA Rahul Narwekar was on Monday elected unopposed as the speaker of the 15th Maharashtra legislative assembly.

Narwekar filed his nomination papers on Sunday and was elected unopposed as the opposition alliance Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) decided not to put up a contest.

The BJP leader, who was the speaker in the 14th assembly for two and a half years, was re-elected from the Colaba assembly seat in Mumbai in the November 20 assembly elections.

The speaker’s election will be followed by a floor test to prove the new government’s strength. Governor CP Radhakrishnan will then address the joint session of both Houses of the state legislature.

During his tenure as Maharashtra assembly speaker, Narwekar had ruled that the party led by Eknath Shinde was the legitimate and “real Shiv Sena” after a split in the Bal Thackeray-founded party.

He also held that the faction under Ajit Pawar was the real Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), which was founded by Sharad Pawar.

In the recently concluded Maharashtra assembly elections, the Mahayuti coalition put up a stunning show, winning over 230 of the 288 seats, while the MVA could collectively manage only 46 seats.

The party positions in the 15th assembly are: Mahayuti - BJP 132 MLAs; Shiv Sena 57; NCP 41; Jan Surabaya Shakti Party 2; Rashtriya Yuva Swabhiman Party 1; Rashtriya Samaj Paksh 1; Independents 2; Rajarshi Shahu Vikas Aghadi 1.

Opposition - Shiv Sena (UBT) 20 MLAs; Congress 16; NCP (SP) 10; CPM 1; PWP 1; AIMIM 1; Samajwadi Party 2.

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