Maharashtra Assembly: Congress's Nana Patole was earlier with the BJP. (File)
Nana Patole -- the nominee of the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress alliance -- was elected unopposed as BJP nominee Kisan Kathore is withdrawing nomination.
Congress's Nana Patole, who was earlier with the BJP, had earlier said that he expected to get elected unopposed. "They (the BJP) have the right in democracy (to field a candidate). But it has been a tradition in Maharashtra that Speaker is elected unopposed. We hope that tradition continues," the 56-year-old leader, who represents the Sakoli constituency in Vidarbha, had said.
Here are Higlights from Maharashtra Assembly:
Uddhav Thackeray speaks in AssemblyCentre should help Maharashtra in helping farmers of the state. Opposition leaders should go and meet Prime Minister and demand financial assistance for the farmers.
Uddhav Thackeray speaks in Assembly
"Centre should help Maharashtra in helping farmers of the state. Opposition leaders should go and meet Prime Minister and demand financial assistance for the farmers."
Uddhav Thackeray receives Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari at Vidhan BhavanMumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray receives Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari at Vidhan Bhavan. Governor Koshyari will address the state assembly shortly.
Agreed to protem speaker's request: Devendra Fadnavis
Devendra Fadnavis says Protem Speaker Dilip Walse Patil requested for consensus to elect Assembly Speaker unanimously and the Maharashtra BJP agreed to this.
Devendra Fadnavis's haste to gain power sank BJP: Sanjay Raut
Senior Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut says former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis' haste to attain power and "childish comments" sank the BJP in Maharashtra and the latter became the opposition leader.
With the coming together of Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar and Congress president Sonia Gandhi, what has happened in Maharashtra is acceptable to the country as well, Mr Raut claims in his column '"Rokhthok" in the Sena mouthpiece "Saamana".
Have learnt a lot from Devendra Fadvanis, says Uddhav Thackeray
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray says he has learnt a lot of things from former chief minister Devendra Fadvanis and that he will always be friends with him.
"I have learnt a lot of things from Devendra Fadvanis and I will always be friends with him. I am still with the ideology of 'Hindutva' and won't ever leave it. In past 5 years, I've never betrayed the government."
He adds: "I won't call you (Devendra Fadnavis) an 'Opposition leader', but I will call you a 'responsible leader'. If you would have been good to us then, all this (BJP-Shiv Sena split) would have not happened."
"I am a lucky CM because those who opposed me are now with me and those who I was with are now on the opposite side. I am here with my luck and blessings of people. I have never told anyone that I will be coming here but I came," the chief minister says.
BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis has been named Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Assembly.
NCP May Get Key Maharashtra Ministries: Sources
The NCP may get several key ministries in Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray's cabinet, with sources suggesting the party will get 16 of 43 positions in addition to the Deputy Chief Minister's post.
According to sources, the NCP's Jayant Patil, a close aide of Sharad Pawar, is likely to be named Home Minister.
The NCP will also get the Deputy Chief Minister's post that is expected to be given to Sharad Pawar's nephew Ajit Pawar.
BJP's Devendra Fadnavis in state assembly: "We had nominated Kisan Kathore for the post of assembly speaker, but in all-party meeting, other parties requested us and its has been a tradition that speaker is appointed unopposed, so we accepted the request&withdrew our candidate's name."
Uddhav Thackeray congratulates new speaker of Mahrashtra assembly
Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray congratulates Congress MLA Nana Patole for being elected as Maharashtra Assembly speaker.
"Nana Patole has also come from a farmer family & I am very confident that he will give justice to everyone," Uddhav Thackeray says in assembly.
Nana Patole new Maharashtra Assembly Speaker
Maharashtra assembly session has started and Congress leader Nana Patole has been elected unopposed as Maharashtra Assembly Speaker.
He has taken his place at the chair of the speaker.
Devendra Fadnavis to be Leader of Opposition
BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis has been appointed as Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra assembly. This will be announced on the floor of the house.
After incumbents' request, decided to withdraw nomination: BJP
Maharashtra BJP President Chandrakant Patil says: "The BJP had nominated Kisan Kathore for the post of Maharashtra Assembly Speaker, yesterday. But, after incumbents' request, we have decided to withdraw Kathore's candidature."
To keep dignity of assembly intact, BJP withdrew nomination: NCP
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Chagan Bhujbal says: "Earlier, Opposition also filled the form for the post of Assembly Speaker, but after request by other MLAs and to keep the dignity of Assembly intact, they have taken back the name. Now, election of Speaker will happen unopposed."
Leader of Opposition to be elected
The Leader of Opposition will be elected today after the Speaker's election which will be followed by a motion of thanks on the Governor's address in the House.
Nana Patole will be elected unopposed
Nana Patole had won the 2014 Lok Sabha election on BJP's ticket after quitting the Congress. Later, he had quit the party amid differences with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis in December 2017, and returned to the Congress.
BJP's Kisan S Kathore withdraws nomination
The BJP had nominated Kisan S Kathore as its candidate for today's election against the Congress's Nana Patole, the nominee of the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress alliance.
However, at a meeting called by Protem Speaker Dilip Walse Patil of all party leaders, Kisan S Kathore withdrew his nomination.