Party with maximum number of seats gets post of leader of Opposition: Ajit Pawar

Sanjay Raut, spokesperson for the Shiv Sena (UBT), reportedly received a virtual snub from Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) senior leader Ajit Pawar for saying that the Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition would continue until Uddhav Thackeray desired it.

Pawar also said that generally, the party with the maximum number of seats gets the post of the Leader of the Opposition. He was asked if Nationalist Congress Party would stake the claim to the post of opposition leader in the Maharashtra Council in view of Shiv Sena (UBT) MLC Manisha Kayande joining Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

Speaking at the Shiv Sena (UBT) plenary in Mumbai on Sunday, Raut said the MVA alliance will exist till Uddhav Thackeray desires. Responding to a query on Raut's remarks, Pawar said, That was the opinion of their (Shiv Sena-UBT's) spokesperson but I think the final decision about the alliance lies with NCP chief Sharad Pawar, Sonia Gandhi though Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, and Uddhav Thackeray.

He said the three parties (Shiv Sena UBT, NCP, and Congress) came together (after the 2019 elections) otherwise a government would not have been formed. Be it NCP, Congress or Shiv Sena or any political party, they have the right to expand their party base. But while doing this as a part of MVA, it should not happen that others (BJP and Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena) benefit, the NCP leader added.