Want to improve functioning of Assembly, reduce chaos: Patole

Newly-elected Speaker of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, Nana Patole, on Wednesday said he wants to improve the functioning of the House by ensuring that the members get an opportunity to ask their questions. The senior Congress MLA, who was elected to the post unopposed on Sunday after the BJP withdrew its candidate, was talking to reporters here.

Replying to a query that a lot of time of the House is wasted due to chaos, Patole said, "Just the day before yesterday, I held a meeting with Legislative Assembly officials, including the secretary and the deputy secretary, to discuss the smooth functioning of the House." "People's representatives want to raise issues concerning their respective constituencies, but they do not get an opportunity to ask their questions in the House. If they get an opportunity to raise questions, then the House will automatically run smoothly," he added. He said he wants to improve the business of the Assembly from the next budget session.

"I would see to it that questions raised by people's representatives get more space and there is less chaos in the house," he said. Patole had quit the Congress and won 2014 Lok Sabha election on a BJP ticket, but returned to the party in December 2017 citing differences with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the then Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis..