Senior Congress MLA Nana Patole was elected unopposed as the Speaker of the Maharashtra Assembly on Sunday after the BJP withdrew its candidate Kisan Kathore.
At the special session of the Assembly, former Chief Minister and BJP legislature party leader Devendra Fadnavis was named Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly by Mr. Patole. Minister and NCP MLA Jayant Patil said he appreciated the spirit of understanding shown by the Opposition BJP in withdrawing its candidate and ensuring that Mr. Patole is elected unopposed.
At a press conference after the session, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said the government will review the fiscal health of the State and bring out a report. Minister Chhagan Bhujbal, who also addressed the media, said a white paper on the financial condition will be issued soon. The statement comes hours after Governor B.S. Koshyari in his address to the joint session of the legislature said a report on the financial condition will be presented to the people.
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Uddhav and Fadnavis spar in Assembly
The political clash between Mr Thackeray and the BJP in the Assembly on Sunday morning while congratulating Mr Fadnavis on his appointment as a LoP was an indication that the former allies are in no mood to forgive the other.
“I will not hesitate to admit that we have been good friends for a long time. Had you listened to us, I would have been sitting at home watching today’s developments on TV,” Mr Thackeray said after Mr. Fadnavis was named the Leader of Opposition.
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Addressing the house, Mr Thackeray said, he had “found a friend in my opponents for the last 20 years and my friend for the last 20 years is sitting in opposition. I don't think there is any opposition in the Assembly. Because those in Opposition are my friends. Let's work towards betterment for the needy by keeping the word ‘opposition’ out.”
Mr. Fadnavis while replying said that he did not consider the opposition as an enemy. “We won 70% seats but still could not get to the desired destination. We believe that democracy is an answer to everything. I did say that I will return, but I never announced the time table,” he said.
“Mera paani utarte dekh, kinare par ghar mat bana lena; mein samundar hoon, laut kar vapis aaoonga ((Thinking the tide has ebbed, don’t you dare build your house on the coast, for I am the sea, and I will come back),” Mr Fadnavis said, quoting a famous couplet. “I not only announced several projects, but started work on them as well. You never know, I may come back to inaugurate them,” he said.