Speaker not spoken for

It's not just the Cabinet, Congress-NCP now fight over Speaker's post

It's not just the Cabinet, Congress-NCP now fight over Speaker's post

The CM of the state may have been decided, but that is not the end of the drama over the formation of the new government.
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The Congress and the NCP are now slugging it out over the post of the Speaker.

Till now, the Congress was eyeing lucrative portfolios like Home, Finance, Power and PWD, but now they also want the Speaker's post.

The u00a0Speaker plays a crucial role during a split and in bailing out the government during a crisis. The NCP has had the post since 1999, when the alliance first came to power in the state.

"Last time, we lost out on crucial portfolios, as we wanted the CM's seat. This time, we are better placed, and the NCP has to concede certain portfolios to us," said a Congress leader.

Said Anant Gadgil, spokesperson of the Congress, "There is a loud thinking in the party that important portfolios were given to the NCP last time.

This time party workers want us to retain crucial portfolios. However, no formal demand has been made to the NCP."

Rumour has it...
Senior Congress leader Vilas Patil Undalkar may be the choice for the Speaker's post.