Ram Shinde to file nomination for Maharashtra Legislative Council Chairperson post

His appointment is viewed as a strategic move by the BJP to address the longstanding demand of the Dhangar community, which is currently classified as OBC, for inclusion in the ST reservation list

Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and MLC Ram Shinde is poised to become the new Chairperson of the Maharashtra Legislative Council. Mr. Shinde, who belongs to Dhangar community, hails from Ahilyanagar (formerly Ahmednagar). In a post on social media platform X, Mr. Shinde confirmed the development, stating that he would file his nomination on Wednesday (December 18, 2024).

He thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP national president J.P. Nadda, Maharashtra BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule, and all leaders of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and Mahayuti alliance for their “support and trust”.

His appointment is viewed as a strategic move by the BJP to address the Dhangar community’s longstanding demand for inclusion in the Scheduled Tribes (ST) reservation list. Presently classified under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category, the Dhangar community forms a significant part of the BJP’s vote bank.

Mr. Shinde’s political journey includes being elected as an MLA from Karjat Jamkhed in 2014. However, he lost the seat to Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SP) leader and Sharad Pawar’s grandnephew Rohit Pawar, in 2019. Subsequently, he was nominated as an MLC but faced another defeat in this year’s Assembly election from the same constituency.

The Chairperson’s post has been vacant since the term of Ramraje Nimbalkar ended in 2022. Deputy Chairperson Neelam Gorhe has been serving as the Acting Chairperson since then. With Mr. Shinde’s appointment, the BJP will hold both key legislative positions in the State, as the Assembly Speaker’s post is currently held by Colaba MLA Rahul Narwekar.

Published - December 17, 2024 10:19 pm IST