NCP to stake claim for LoP in both houses, says Ajit Pawar

NCP plans to formally stake claim to the post of Leader of Opposition (LoP) in both the State Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council, party leader in the House Ajit Pawar said here today.
The NCP, which has 41 MLAs, has supported candidature of Badnera MLA Ravi Rana and three others from the Hitendra Thakur group in Thane, besides Ganpatrao Deshmukh.
The NCP has received the support of the PWP and therefore, it has every right to get the post of the Leader of Opposition in the Lower House, Pawar told reporters.
He said that on the first day of the Winter Session, NCP leaders Sunil Tatkare, who is the party's state president, Chhagan Bhujbal, Jayant Patil and others would call on Speaker of the House Haribhau Bagde to formally stake claim to the post of Leader of Opposition.

Similarly, since the NCP is the largest group in the Upper House, Pawar said that NCP leaders would meet Chairman of the Council Shivajirao Deshmukh to press for the post of Leader of Opposition in the Upper House.
Pawar criticised the Maharashtra Chief Minister for skipping the customary tea party with opposition parties on the eve of the session here today.

He said that the break in laid-down tradition could have been avoided and that the NCP was not merely opposing for the sake of opposition.
Due to a severe drought-like situation, the Maharashtra state government should immediately waive off electricity bills and crop loans in affected areas, he said.

Farmers should be provided with financial assistance to the tune of Rs 50,000 per hectare, he said.