Disquiet in Maha ruling coalition over Patole’s resignation as House speaker

The Congress’s decision to replace state unit chief Balasaheb Thorat with Nana Patole and the latter’s resignation as Maharashtra Assembly Speaker has triggered disquiet in the ruling Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition. Appearing to disfavour its ally’s decision, the Shiv Sena on Saturday said re-election of such constitutional post should have been avoided.

While the Congress party said the post of Assembly Speaker will remain with the party even though Patole has resigned, NCP chief Sharad Pawar said on Saturday that the three parties will decide the next Speaker after discussion. “It is pretty clear that the position is with the Congress party but in a situation when those working at the position of Speaker or the chief minister has to be changed, then going by the procedure, names of the contenders should be discussed with the ruling partners before a decision,” the NCP chief said.

Echoing Pawar’s opinion, Sena leader Sanjay Raut said, “Like Sharad Pawar saheb said, there will be discussion on the [Speaker post] again.”

The Shiv Sena cautioned the Congress through an editorial in its mouthpiece Saamana that it should ensure that the new state president must not become “excessively” aggressive.

“After Nana (Patole) was relieved of the Speaker post [by the party] and given the responsibility of the party, it meant that Maharashtra Congress needed an aggressive face. Certainly the Congress must have thought that this aggression should not turn excessive,” the editorial said in a cautionary tone.