Oppn wants Waddetiwar as leader of opposition in Maha Assembly

Opposition members in the Maharashtra Assembly on Monday asked Speaker Haribhau Bagade to nominate Congress MLA Vijay Waddetiwar as the leader of opposition (LoP) in the Lower House.

As the monsoon session began on Monday, Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Balasaheb Thorat said he had written to the speaker about their demand.

Thorat said since Waddetiwar was the Congress group leader, he should be nominated as the LoP as he enjoyed the support of all opposition parties.

To this, the speaker said he had received the letter and that he would take a decision in "due course of time".

Thorat objected to Bagade's comment and said the LoP's post was the "right" of the opposition.

NCP leader Ajit Pawar noted that Bagade on Sunday said he will consult a "few people" and take a decision.

"Few people means chief minister. I expect Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to take a decision since there are only 17 working days in this monsoon session," he said.

Pawar, in a lighter vein, then said the chief minister had "taken away" two leaders of opposition (former Congress leader Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil and Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde before his party joined the government) and made them ministers.

"We hope he will leave Waddetiwar for us," he said.

To this, BJP leader SudhirMungantiwar said, "We cannot help if people are interested in joining us."
Waddetiwar also responded saying "frequently changing loyalties is not good. I will be on that (ruling) side only if we return to power."