Speaker: The triangular contest will see BJP triumph

Whichever way the pendulum now swings, BJP is set to have its man as the speaker in the state assembly!

Congress has fielded former minister Varsha Gaikwad as its candidate in the election to the post, making it a triangular contest. And with Congress fielding Gaikwad in the contest to be held on Wednesday, for BJP the support of NCP has become redundant.

Shiv Sena had occupied the chair of the leader of the opposition in the assembly even before it was decided who was to occupy it. Sena leader in the House, Eknath Shinde, was found sitting in the chair of the leader of opposition on Tuesday.

Interestingly, Congress leaders from Ahmednagar district had met chief minister Devendra Fadnavis in the morning soon after BJP had filed the nomination papers of its candidate, Haribhau Bagde, for the election to the post of the presiding officer. It was after this meeting that Congress announced Gaikwad's name.

After Shiv Sena had filed nomination papers of Vijay Auti, Congress fielded Gaikwad. Party state president Manikrao Thakare told the media that he had talked to NCP state president Sunil Tatkare about fielding a common opposition candidate, but had got no response, and hence had decided to field Gaikwad.

Gaikwad had met Sharad Pawar and requested NCP support. Former CM Prithviraj Chavan said Pawar had told Gaikwad that NCP would decide on the issue in its meeting.

When asked why no senior leader had accompanied Gaikwad when she had gone to meet Pawar, Chavan said Gaikwad had done so being the candidate. Gaikwad said she had also requested NCP state president Sunil Tatkare to support the Congress in the election so that opposition could have a common candidate.