MUMBAI: Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde will face the first test of his government on Sunday, during the election for the post of the state Assembly speaker. The BJP and Shiv Sena have nominated their MLAs Rahul Narvekar and Rajan Salvi, respectively, for the post.
Salvi said his party chief whip Sunil Prabhu has issued the whip to all 55 Shiv Sena MLAs, including the 39 rebels, to cast their vote in his favour. He added that if anyone fails to follow the whip, then action for their disqualification will be initiated against them. Salvi is the join candidate of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government
Earlier in the day, the Congress had planned to put up its MLA Sangram Thopate as its candidate. However, the Shiv Sena requested that since the post was earlier in Congress quota, it should now be given to Sena, looking at the legal battle.
Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat said as per state Assembly record, Shiv Sena’s Ajay Chaudhari is Sena legislator party leader while Sunil Prabhu is the chief whip. He said Shinde is no more a legislator party leader or rebel Sena MLA Bharat Gogawale the chief whip. “Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena’s chief whip is only applicable while casting the votes in Assembly speaker elections,” Thorat said.
However, Shinde said Uddhav’s Sena whip is not applicable to them, and they have appointed their own chief whip.