MP Gajanan Kirtikar to replace Sanjay Raut as Shiv Sena's parliamentary leader

Maharashtra state chief minister Eknath Shinde has submitted a letter to Union parliamentary affairs minister Pralhad Joshi, appointing Lok Sabha MP Gajanan Kirtikar as Sena parliamentary party leader.

An MP from Mumbai North-West, Kirtikar was Shiv Sena's 13th Lok Sabha MP to join the Shinde-led Sena. With his exit, the Uddhav faction was left with six MPs.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut (Rajya Sabha) has been Sena parliamentary party leader so far. Shiv Sena leaders said Kirtikar was elected parliamentary party leader at a meeting of party MPs held last week, TOI reported.

He has appointed MP Gajanan Kirtikar and has given a letter to the Union parliamentary affairs minister. We have started the process. The parliamentary party leader is the leader of the party in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. So, all MPs, even in Rajya Sabha, will have to follow our whip, Shewale said.