Congress's Vijay Wadettiwar likely to be leader of Opposition in Maharashtra assembly

Congress high command has conveyed to CLP leader Balasaheb Thorat that Vijay Wadettiwar's name be proposed for the leader of Opposition post.

The Maharashtra Congress is likely to make Vijay Wadettiwar the new Opposition leader in the assembly, sources said. The post was vacant following the split in the Nationalist Congres Party led by Ajit Pawar, who was also holding the leader of the Opposition position.

Vijay Wadettiwar. (HT Photo)

“Congress Leader Vijay Wadettiwar will be named as LOP in Maharashtra assembly, Congress High Command has conveyed to CLP Leader Balasaheb Thorat that Wadettiwar's name be proposed for LOP post,” news agency ANI quoted the Maharashtra Congress as saying.

Earlier, Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole clarified that the post of Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly belonged to his party which now has the highest number of leaders among the coalition partners.

"As per the process, whichever (opposition) party has the maximum numbers in the House gets the post of LoP. Congress is the biggest party in the coalition and so the opposition leader will be from our party as per the process. It will be clear when we submit a letter to the Speaker," he said when questioned that the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) had recently staked claim to the LoP post.