Maharashtra Political Crisis: On Opposition Leader's Post, Congress Decides To Wait And Watch

Maharashtra Congress leaders on Tuesday decided to take a wait and watch approach over the issue of the Leader of Opposition amid political developments in the state.

It was earlier said that the Congress might discuss the issue of staking claim to the post of LoP after Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar resigned from the post and joined the Shiv Sena-BJP government.

The Congress decided to work for strengthening the party as well as the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) of which it is one of the constituents along with NCP and Shiv Sena (UBT).

The post of Leader of Opposition (LoP) fell vacant after Nationalist Congress Party leader Ajit Pawar resigned on Friday. He joined the Shiv Sena-BJP government on Sunday as deputy chief minister while eight other NCP MLAs took oath as ministers.

The NCP, led by Sharad Pawar, has appointed MLA Jitendra Awhad as the LoP.

Sharad Pawar on Monday said the Congress, a constituent of the Maha Vikas Aghadi, was justified in claiming the post of LoP.

"The Congress has convened a meeting of its legislators on Tuesday where deliberations are likely to be held on staking claim to the position of Leader of Opposition," Congress Legislature Party leader Balasaheb Thorat said on Monday.

Thorat claimed the NCP can only appoint their group leader in the Legislative Assembly.

Senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan said there will be no problem in appointing the new LoP after ascertaining how many MLAs are with the Sharad Pawar-led NCP, following the split in its legislature party.

In the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly, the Congress has 45 MLAs, while the NCP has 53 legislators.