Congress' Patole elected Maharashtra Speaker unopposed

Mumbai: Congress leader Nana Patole was elected Speaker of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly unanimously as BJP candidate Kisan Kathore withdrew his nomination on Sunday.

His election was welcomed by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, who said Patole has also come from a farmer family and will ensure that justice is delivered.

The deadline to withdraw the nomination was 10 am on Sunday.

"Though Kathore was nominated for the post of Speaker by the BJP, other parties have requested us to withdraw his nomination and it has been a tradition that the Speaker is appointed unopposed.

So, we have accepted the request and withdrew our candidate's name," former CM Devendra Fadnavis said. The Congress on Saturday announced party MLA Patole as the candidate of the ruling Shiv Sena-Congress-NCP alliance for the Speaker's post.

Patole represents Sakoli Assembly segment in Vidarbha. This is the fourth term as an MLA for Patole.