)
Shiv Sena will play the role of principal Opposition in the winter session of the Maharashtra Assembly beginning December 8, party leader Sanjay Raut today said.
"I have no knowledge of any talks between my party and BJP. As of now, we are an opposition party and will take on the government in the coming winter session," said Raut.
"Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly Eknath Shinde is touring the state and is criticising the government on various fronts. Our party, which has 63 MLAs, is completely in the role of opposition party on directives of our leader Uddhav Thackeray," he said.
There are several issues like law and order, farmers' suicide, power crisis and drought-like condition in state's many parts and Sena leaders are highlighting them effectively, he said. Yesterday, BJP leader and state PWD minister Chandrakant Patil had said in Kolhapur that Shiv Sena "will be accommodated" in the cabinet expansion before the winter session starts. Meanwhile, sources in Shiv Sena said the decision about their party joining the government would be taken by Sena president Uddhav Thackeray.
