With party MLAs switching sides, NCP may claim the post if bench-strength of Cong drops below the latter
After its resounding defeat in the Lok Sabha polls, the Congress has to contend with another challenge in Maharashtra—the possibility of losing its position as the principal opposition in the state legislative assembly due to defections in its ranks. This may lead to its ally, the NCP, moving in to claim the leader of opposition's post, fear Congress leaders.
Former leader of opposition Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, whose son Sujay successfully contested the Lok Sabha polls from Ahmednagar as a BJP nominee, has stepped down from his post and is likely to join the BJP soon. He is likely to be inducted into the Devendra Fadnavis-led cabinet. Another Congress MLA, Abdul Sattar, who revolted after being denied the Lok Sabha nomination from Aurangabad, is also said to be on his way to the BJP, as is Wadala MLA Kalidas Kolambkar.
Nitesh Rane, the son of former chief minister Narayan Rane, is a Congress legislator from Kankavali but is part of the Maharashtra Swabhimaan Paksha, headed by his father, who in turn, is a BJP Rajya Sabha MP."
There are chances that more MLAs from our party may switch sides to the BJP," admitted a senior Congress leader. He added that while names of former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan and former minister Vijay Vadettiwar are said to be in the reckoning for the leader of opposition, there was a chance that the NCP may stake claim to the position if the bench-strength of the Congress dropped below its numbers.
In 2014, the Congress got 42 seats in the state assembly, with the NCP at a close 41. While Beed MLA Jaydutt Kshirsagar has quit to join the Shiv Sena last week, Hanumant Dolas, a legislator from Malshiras in Solapur passed away recently.
The Congress leader said there were chances of a sweeping re-organisation of the Congress party organisation in Maharashtra with former ministers Balasaheb Thorat, Harshavardhan Patil and former MP Rajiv Satav, who is close to party president Rahul Gandhi being among the names tipped off to replace incumbent Ashok Chavan.
Chavan, a former chief minister of Maharashtra and MP from Nanded, lost to the BJP's Pratap Patil Chikhalikar from his stronghold. Chikhalikar, who has been a Congressman in the past, was elected as a Shiv Sena MLA in 2014 but defected to the BJP later.
ON AN EXIT SPREE
- Former leader of opposition Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil has stepped down from his post and is likely to join the BJP soon
- MLA Abdul Sattar, who revolted after being denied nomination from Aurangabad, is also said to be on his way to the BJP
- Seven-time legislator from Wadala-Naigaon constituency Kalidas Kolambkar is also set to join the BJP
- MLA Nitesh Rane is part of the Maharashtra Swabhimaan Paksha, headed by his father, who is a BJP MP
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Congress")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}