Kalidas Kolambkar Set to Steer Maharashtra Assembly

Kalidas Kolambkar will take the oath as pro-tem Speaker of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly before a three-day special session begins. He will administer the oath to new MLAs and oversee the speaker's election. The BJP-led Mahayuti coalition will contest a trust vote following recent elections.

BJP MLA Kalidas Kolambkar is poised to take the helm as pro-tem Speaker of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly on Friday, just ahead of the special three-day legislative session.

Kolambkar, a seasoned politician with nine terms under his belt, confirmed to PTI that the oath-taking ceremony is scheduled at 1 pm at Raj Bhavan, administered by Governor C P Radhakrishnan. Holding the position, Kolambkar will oversee the ceremony for 288 newly-elected MLAs and conduct the election for the assembly speaker during the 15th assembly's special session, commencing December 7.

The assembly speaker's election is slated for December 9, followed by a trust vote for the Devendra Fadnavis-led Mahayuti government. Fadnavis was appointed state chief minister on Thursday evening, with Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar assuming roles as deputy chief ministers in a ceremonious event at Azad Maidan, Mumbai. The BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP Mahayuti coalition secured 230 out of 288 seats in the November elections. The next winter session will be held in Nagpur from December 16 to 21.