Newsmaker | Rajasthan’s new Governor Haribhau Bagade: Former Maharashtra Speaker, BJP’s rural face in state

“I have never asked for any post or power. I believe one should just work for the organisation. It is for the party to decide if it will field me from Phulambri in the upcoming Assembly polls,” Bagade said on Sunday.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma congratulated Bagade, who replaces Kalraj Mishra, on his appointment. “Hearty congratulations and best wishes to senior BJP leader, former Speaker of Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Shri Haribhau Kisanrao Bagde ji on being appointed as His Excellency the Governor of Veerbhoomi Rajasthan. Under your efficient guidance, Rajasthan will move rapidly towards becoming ‘Developed Rajasthan,’” he said in a post in Hindi on X.

Bagade first contested the Assembly elections from Aurangabad East in 1985 and won. In 1995, when the undivided Shiv Sena and the BJP assumed power in the state, Bagade was elevated to the Manohar Joshi Cabinet and held key portfolios such as horticulture, employment, food, and civil supplies. He lost the 2009 Assembly polls from Phulambri to the Congress’s Kalyan Kale by just over 2,000 votes but won the seat in 2014 and went on to retain it in 2019.

One of the key milestones of Bagade’s political career came in 2014 when he was appointed Assembly Speaker during the tenure of the government of Devendra Fadnavis. Brushing aside doubts raised about his capability to run the House, Bagade — who is always seen in a white dhoti, kurta and topi (cap) — not only ensured the smooth functioning of the Assembly but also proved to be a tough taskmaster. However, the Opposition comprising the Congress and the undivided Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) frequently accused him of being biased towards the ruling coalition.

During his term as Speaker, Bagade observed that the duration of the winter sessions in Nagpur was on the decline and also expressed concerns about the overall functioning of the House. “I see a marked difference in the debates and discussions over important legislative Bills. While I am not critical about it, where do we see wonderful debates on important issues? I want to drive the point that things have changed,” he said.

As the Speaker, he also emphasised the need for members to improve their attendance in the House and observed that MLAs’ presence made a difference and their participation in debates was important.

“In the last three decades, I have not missed a single Winter Session. I still recall the 1994 Gowari stampede in Nagpur which led to the death of 114 people. The BJP was then in the Opposition and we led a huge protest against the NCP-Congress government of Sharad Pawar,” he said in 2015, recalling his legislative experience.

Meanwhile, former Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot also took to X to congratulate Bagade on his appointment. “Hearty congratulations and best wishes to former Speaker of Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Shri @BagadeHaribhau on being appointed as the Governor of Rajasthan. It is my good fortune that I got the opportunity to work with Shri @KalrajMishra and we benefited from his long political experience. Shri Kalraj Mishra’s tenure as Governor will remain unforgettable,” he wrote in a post in Hindi.