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Ajit Pawar`s Revolt Creates Fresh Rift Between Congress, NCP Over Maharashtra LoP Post
Maharashtra Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat said that the Leader of the Opposition will be from the party which has the maximum number of MLAs.
While opposition unity is the toast of the town, the political parties are hardly showing any signs of sacrifice or adjustment. The fresh example on display is from Maharashtra where Ajit Pawar's rebellion has put Nationalist Congress Party on backfoot. While the state is yet to get a clear picture of NCP MLAs supporting Ajit Pawar, a tussle has started over the post of Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra assembly. The Maharashtra assembly is yet to get a speaker after the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance returned to power in the state.
"Full picture is not yet clear...but why would be an LoP from NCP? Now, Congress has 45 MLAs with them and Ajit Pawar has said that he has 40 MLAs with him, then NCP will have only 13 MLAs left with them," said Maharashtra Congress spokesperson Atul Londhe.
Maharashtra Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat said that the Leader of the Opposition will be from the party which has the maximum number of MLAs. "Congress has maximum numbers. We will hold a meeting tomorrow on the current political situation in the state," said Thorat.
The BJP was quick to take a dig at the fresh rift between the NCP and the Congress. "Opposition unity??? Now within hours of NCP coming with BJP, Congress has started demanding LoP position for itself in Maharashtra! Some snub for Sharad Pawar ji by Congress. What happened to PDA? MVA? Moment Congress got a chance it has demanded its share! This is their true face..matlab ke yaar. Only position, no mission," said BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala.
On the other hand, NCP's Maharashtra president Jayant Patil today said that the party has sent a petition to the Assembly speaker seeking disqualification of rebel MLAs. "We requested him to hear us. Our party's strength in the Assembly is 53, of which 9 have defected, the rest all are with us. We will give them a fair chance to come back but will take action against those who do not come back," said Patil, hinting that NCP still has 44 MLAs. Even if it holds true, the Congress has one MLA more than NCP.