MUMBAI: Maharashtra Congress spokesperson Atul Londhe on Sunday said that the picture is not yet clear as to which party will appoint a leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly as the NCP, which had its leader of the Opposition earlier, no longer has the most number of MLAs.
The Congress and NCP seem to be in a fight to appoint the leader of the Opposition after Congress spokesperson Atul Londhe said that it is yet to be decided who will be the new LoP in Maharashtra.
“The full picture is not yet clear. Why was the LoP from NCP? Because they had more MLAs. But now, Congress has 45 MLAs. And, as Ajit Pawar has claimed that he has 40 MLAs with him, then NCP will have only 13 MLAs left with them. The picture will be clear in two to three days”, Atul Londhe said.
“All of us will fight in the assembly and then we will have the clarity on the leader of Opposition,” he added. “We (Congress) don’t even need to claim anything, this is the fixed formula and I don’t think anyone has any objection to it”, the Maharashtra Congress spokesperson said affirmatively.
The Congress leader said very clearly that the Opposition party with most members of the Legislative Assembly gets to appoint the leader of Opposition and it is a formula which no one can have any objection to. He said that it is an accepted formula, hence, Congress doesn’t even have to claim anything.
Nationalist Congress Party leader Jayant Patil on Sunday said that Jitendra Awhad’s name has been sent as the chief whip. A letter has been sent on behalf of the NCP to the Speaker of the Assembly. “We have sent Jitendra Awhad’s name as chief whip, and have sent a letter on behalf of the NCP party to the Speaker of the Assembly”, NCP leader Jayant Patil said while addressing the media on Sunday.
Hours after Ajit Pawar and some other Nationalist Congress Party leaders joined the Maharashtra government, party chief Sharad Pawar said, “This is not ‘googly’, it is a robbery” and added that he was worried about the future of those who left the party.
Talking to reporters after his nephew and eight other party leaders rebelled and joined the Shiv Sena-BJP government in Maharashtra, Pawar said he was not worried about what happened and will work to strengthen the party again.
He also hinted at action against party leaders Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare, saying they did not follow their responsibilities. Sharad Pawar said some of those who joined the Shiv Sena-BJP government were facing ED cases.
Ajit Pawar took oath as Deputy Chief Minister. Eight other NCP leaders took oath as ministers. (ANI)