Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has given a letter to the legislature secretariat stating that Jayant Patil is their leader, said Maharashtra Legislature Secretary Rajendra Bhagwat on Tuesday.
"The legislature secretariat has received a letter (from NCP) claiming that Jayant Patil is the leader. The letter has to be received by the secretariat to forward it to the Speaker. We cannot decide on it. The decision on the claim will be decided by the Speaker. There is no decision on it as of now," Bhagawat told ANI.
Earlier in the day, BJP leader Ashish Shelar claimed that Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar is the NCP legislature party leader.
"We are confirmed that Ajit Pawar is the leader of NCP on the Floor of the House, and his whip will hold as leader of the legislature party," he said.
NCP had replaced Ajit Pawar as the leader of its legislature party with Jayant Patil after the former took oath as Deputy Chief Minister in the state government led by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
The Supreme Court will later in the day pass its order on a joint plea by Congress, Shiv Sena and NCP over the government formation in Maharashtra.