After former Congress leader Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil resigned ahead of the monsoon session of Maharashtra legislature, the opposition in state legislative assembly was left with no Leader of Opposition (LoP) to represent their interest.
Earlier, while demanding their “right” for an LoP, the opposition-backed Congress MLA Vijay Namdevrao Wadettiwar for the same in the Maharashtra legislative assembly. Wadettiwar has also been the group leader of Congress.
The newly appointed Congress Legislature Party (CLP), Babasaheb Thorat on Monday wrote to Maharashtra Assembly speaker Haribhau Bagade stating that Wadettiwar should be nominated as LoP as he enjoys full support from the opposition. Meanwhile, the speaker asserted that this decision will be taken in some time.
As this happened, the opposition leaders from Congress informed that Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had made the nomination of Wadettiwar as LoP ‘conditional’.
CM Fadnavis earlier stated that Congress MLA Vijay Wadettiwar will be appointed as LoP if the state legislative council chairmen Ramraje Naik Nimbalkar announces election for the vacant deputy chairman’s position in the upper house of Maharashtra legislature. The position has been vacant since last year after Congress leader Manikrao Thakre’s term ended.
If accepted, this condition put up by the Chief Minister will help a BJP/Shiv Sena/RPI(A) leader to get elected as the deputy chairman in the upper house. National Democratic Alliance (NDA) front has more strength in the legislative assembly and council and the opposition was trying to avoid the same.
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