With Shiv Sena joining the government in Maharashtra, the post of Opposition leader has fallen vacant. While the ambiguity over who would become the leader of the Opposition persists, both the Congress and the NCP are eying the post.
In the meantime, a new controversy has broken out and it has irked the Opposition no end. It's that chief minister Devendra Fadnavis would not be present at the tea party on Sunday, which is traditionally hosted by the CM ahead of a legislative session to which legislators of all parties are invited. Fadnavis will not be in a position to attend the party as he has to attend a chief ministers' meeting in Delhi called by prime minister Narendra Modi.
Congress and NCP leaders have expressed their displeasure at the Fadnavis government not respecting a tradition that has been there for years. "Even Prithviraj Chavan has expressed disapproval of the CM's behaviour. Several chief ministers have faced similar situations, but they have either requested a change of schedule or time. Fadnavis can make it there if he wants to," said a senior Congress leader.
Meanwhile, with Sena joining the government, the official leader of the Opposition, Eknath Shinde, has tendered his resignation to Speaker Haribhau Bagade. And even though Congress has made a claim for the post, Sharad Pawar, the NCP president, has made it clear that as his party has more MLAs than the Congress, NCP would stake claim to the post. The tug of war is likely to end on Monday with the Speaker ruling on the issue.
Meanwhile, it looks like the winter session of the legislative assembly would be a turbulent one even though Shiv Sena has joined the government. Seasoned leaders from the Congress and the NCP will ensure that the BJP struggles to hold its fort. The drought situation in the state will come in handy for the Opposition to take on the government in the two-week session, which starts from Monday and will last till December 19.
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