Mumbai, Nov 10 : Dilip Walse-Patil, senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and close confidant of Sharad Pawar, is all set to become the speaker of the
12th Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Wednesday.

Walse-Patil will be pitted against Girish Bapat of the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party-Shiv Sena combine for the prestigious post.

The election of Walse-Patil to the post - in view of the strong majority enjoyed by the ruling Democratic Front government comprising Congress-NCP - is a foregone conclusion.