MLAs of Maharashtra Congress to meet on July 4, discussion on Opposition leader's post likely

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Maharashtra Congress has convened a meeting of its legislators on Tuesday where the issue of staking a claim to the post of the Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly may come up for discussion, a party leader said.

All India Congress Committee (AICC) secretary HK Patil will attend the meeting.

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The post of the Leader of the Opposition fell vacant after NCP leader Ajit Pawar resigned on Friday. He joined the Shiv Sena-BJP government on Sunday as deputy chief minister while eight MLAs of NCP took oath as ministers.

Notably, the Nationalist Congress Party, led by Sharad Pawar, appointed MLA Jitendra Awhad as the leader of the opposition.

"The Congress has convened a meeting of its legislators tomorrow where deliberations are likely to be held on staking a claim to the position of the Leader of Opposition," Congress legislature party leader Balasaheb Thorat said.

Notably, Sharad Pawar has said the Congress, a constituent of the MVA, was justified in claiming the post of the Leader of the Opposition.

Thorat claimed NCP can only appoint their group leader in the Legislative Assembly.

Senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan said there will be no problem in appointing the new LoP after ascertaining how many MLAs are with Sharad Pawar-led NCP after the split in the legislature party.

In the 288-member Assembly, Congress has 45 MLAs.

State unit Congress president Nana Patole described Sunday's political developments as a "black spot on the state's political culture".

"On the one hand, there was rejoicing at Raj Bhavan after the swearing-in ceremony (on Sunday) and on the other hand, charred bodies of the victims of the Buldhana bus accident were being cremated," he said.

As many as 25 persons were charred to death after the private bus they were travelling in hit a road divider on Samruddhi Expressway on Saturday, fell on its left side, and burst into flames, police said.

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