Nagpur, Dec 17 (IANS): BJP legislator and former minister Ram Shinde is set to become the chairperson of the Maharashtra Legislative Council.

The BJP has announced his candidature for the chairperson’s post. The election is slated for Wednesday. The Maha Vikas Aghadi has not announced its nominee. Considering the strength of the BJP and its allies Shiv Sena and NCP, Shinde’s election is certain.

Shinde is from the Dhangar community and hails from Ahilyanagar formerly Ahmednagar district. He was elected to the state assembly in 2014 and was made minister in the Devendra Fadnavis-led cabinet. In the 2019 Assembly election, he was defeated by NCP nominee Rohit Pawar from Karjat Jamshed constituency. Later he was made a member of the state council. In the recently held assembly election, he faced defeat from Rohit Pawar again.

In his post on X, Shinde has said that he has been nominated for the election to the state council chairperson’s election to be held on Wednesday. He will file the nomination at 10 am tomorrow.

He thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP President JP Nadda, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar and state BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule for his nomination.

Shiv Sena was also quite keen to get the state council chairperson’s post. However, the BJP declined to leave the post to Shiv Sena. The state council chairperson’s post was lying vacant since the incumbent Rqmraje Naik Nimbalkar’s term lapsed in 2022.

The state Assembly Speaker’s post is also held with BJP legislator Rahul Narwekar.