Congress justified in claiming post of LoP in Maharashtra assembly: Sharad Pawar

NCP leader Sharad Pawar says the leader of opposition in the Maharashtra assembly can be from the Congress, as Congress currently has the largest number of MLAs.

Pune: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar on Monday said the new leader of opposition (LoP) in Maharashtra assembly can be from the Congress.

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Speaking at Satara, NCP chief Pawar said that the Congress party’s demand for the leader of opposition (LoP) post is appropriate.

“According to my information, Congress currently has the biggest strength now in the state assembly and if that party has claimed leader of opposition’s post, then their demand is appropriate,” Pawar said.

In the 288-member state assembly, Congress currently has 45 legislators after a win in Kasba Peth bypolls in Pune while NCP’s numbers after revolt in the party has come down from the earlier 53 MLAs, as leaders close to Ajit Pawar has claimed support of around 40 legislators.

Shiv Sena, which had a strength of 56 MLAs before rebellion by Eknath Shinde last year, is now reduced to 16 MLAs in the state assembly.

Earlier in the day, Congress legislature party leader Balasaheb Thorat said, the decision on the LoP will be taken based on which party has largest strength in the state assembly.

“Our MLAs are intact. We had 44 MLAs in 2019, and we now have 45. The leader of the opposition is from the opposition party with the highest number of MLAs and, accordingly, we will demand the post. We will have a meeting of the legislature party tomorrow and discuss the future course of action,” said Thorat.

The Congress leader’s statement comes a day after NCP’s Maharashtra president Jayant Patil had named Jitendra Awhad as LoP following the rebellion by Ajit Pawar, who had resigned from the post on Friday.

On Sunday, Ajit Pawar along with eight others from the NCP took oath as ministers.

NCP state unit chief Patil said there is no reason to compete with Congress on this issue and if NCP has fewer numbers, the new LoP can be of Congress.

Maharashtra assembly speaker Rahul Narwekar said the new LoP will be chosen on the basis of rules.

“The decision on the leader of opposition will be taken based on the rules. I will soon decide on this”, he said.

Ajit Pawar had on Sunday led a vertical split in the NCP to become the deputy chief minister, shocking his uncle Sharad Pawar, who founded the party 24 years ago.

Eight NCP leaders were also sworn in as ministers in the Shinde-BJP government.