Congress stakes claim for Opposition in Maharashtra assembly

Move to checkmate former ally NCP which also eyes the post

Congress on Friday appealed to the speaker of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly to have its leader Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil appointed as the Leader of the Opposition.

With 42 legislators, the Congress is the third largest party — after Bharatiya Janata Party (121 legislators) and Shiv Sena (63 legislators) — in the Assembly. Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde had occupied the post but vacated it to be sworn in as a member of state Cabinet on Friday. In its plea to Speaker Haribhau Bagde, the Congress substantiated its claim by attaching the relevant rules and regulations of the Assembly and also citing customs and traditions. Congress legislator Sanjay Dutt confirmed party’s decision.

The timing of making the claim is crucial as Congress's former ally the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), with 41 MLAs, has announced that it will also stake its claim for the post of the Leader of Opposition. The winter session is scheduled to begin on December 8 in Nagpur.

Congress's five legislators were suspended for two years on November 12 for their alleged involvement to roughing up Governor C Vidyasagar Rao.

NCP spokesman Nawab Malik said his party had struck pre-poll alliances with Bahujan Vikas Aghadi in three constituencies and with Peasants' and Workers' Party's leader Ganpatrao Deshmukh. Therefore, the strength of NCP with its allies is 45 and it is eligible for the post of the Leader of Opposition.

NCP had extended support from outside to BJP government when the poll results were declared on October 19. However, the reunion of the ruling party with its estranged ally, the Shiv Sena, changed the political equations.

A BJP leader, who did not want to be named, said the relationship between the Congress and the Shiv Sena is also quite bitter.