NEW DELHI: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut announced on Saturday that his party will stake claim to the post of leader of opposition in the Maharashtra legislative assembly.
Raut said that opposition parties had been granted this position in the past, even without meeting the 10% seat threshold. The combined opposition strength in the 288-member assembly stands in nearly 50, he mentioned.
The Maharashtra legislature’s budget session is set to run from March 3 to 26. “Shiv Sena (UBT) will stake claim to the post of LoP in the Vidhan Sabha. Even if the strength of MLAs is less, there is no law or provision in the Constitution which says that the House should function without the LoP,” Raut said.
Sena (UBT) currently holds 20 assembly seats, with Congress at 16 and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP at 10.
Congress leaders have previously indicated that if Sena (UBT) claims the LoP post in the assembly, they may demand the same position in the legislative council. Currently, Ambadas Danve of Sena (UBT) holds the leader of opposition post in the council, but his tenure as an MLC ends in August 2024.
Raut expressed hope that the Speaker would approve their demand.
Meanwhile, on being questioned about his party leaders skipping the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj, Raut said that they were following RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s example. “I did not see Mohan Bhagwat attending the Maha Kumbh. We waited for him but didn’t see any senior RSS functionary there,” he said.
Maharashtra deputy CM Eknath Shinde, who leads the ruling Shiv Sena faction, has criticised Uddhav Thackeray for missing the Maha Kumbh event.