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Tribune News Service
Mumbai, December 1
Congress MLA Nana Patole was elected Speaker of the Maharashtra Assembly on Sunday after the BJP withdrew its candidate Kisan Kathore on the request of Pro Tem Speaker Dilip Walse Patil and other senior leaders, who suggested that the Opposition must respect convention.
The new Speaker was ceremoniously escorted to the Chair by CM Uddhav Thackeray and senior MLAs.
“I am happy that the son of a farmer has become Speaker,” Uddhav remarked. Having assumed the office of CM with the support of the NCP and Congress, the Shiv Sena chief said he continued to espouse the ideology of Hindutva. “I am very much a believer in the ideology of Hindutva and will not abandon it,” he said, thanking the Assembly for the trust vote.
While terming his predecessor Devendra Fadnavis, who took over as Leader of the Opposition today, as a close friend, he indicated his annoyance with the BJP for not agreeing to share the post of CM with the Sena, saying: “If only you had been good to us, all this would not have happened.... I would have been watching (the proceedings of the House at home) on TV.”
The CM said he had learnt much from Fadnavis in the past five years. “The Shiv Sena did not betray the BJP government when the two shared power.” He then went on to poke fun at Fadnavis’ “I will return” election slogan.”I never said I will be back, but here I am today in this House. I can assure this House and the people of Maharashtra that I will not do anything at midnight, “ Uddhav further rubbed it in. Uddhav announced that his government’s priority was the welfare of farmers. “We will not only waive loans, but will also lessen their worries,” he said.
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