Maharashtra: Appointment of first time representative as Opp leader in council upsets Shiv Sena loyals, Congress

In the Uddhav camp, former parliamentary affairs minister Anil Parab was said to be a strong contender for the post because of his seniority and experience, but the party president chose an MLC from Aurangabad-Jalna

Uddhav Thackeray sprang a surprise and upset hopefuls in the Shiv Sena and the Congress on Monday, by recommending a first-time legislator, Ambadas Danve, as the opposition leader in the Legislative Council. The move has started a tussle between the former ruling partners because the Congress has also asked for the coveted position.

In the Uddhav camp, former parliamentary affairs minister Anil Parab was said to be a strong contender for the post because of his seniority and experience, but the party president chose an MLC from Aurangabad-Jalna in Marathwada, where the Eknath Shinde faction has taken maximum sitting members of the Assembly, thus weakening the Matoshree group ahead of the local body polls in Aurangabad where the BJP, the Shinde group and AIMIM will vie for a respectable number.

Also read: Fight over Shiv Sena poll symbol: Uddhav calls for party membership boost

Former minister Anil Parab was said to be a strong contender for the post because of his seniority and experience. File pic

A letter appointing Danve was given to the legislature on Monday and it will come up for approval in the forthcoming monsoon session. The chairman’s post in the upper house is also vacant, but the Sena’s Neelam Gorhe holds the deputy chairman’s office. Sources said, if elected in the session, the chairman’s post will go to the BJP which has maximum strength in the elders’ house. After their party split in June this year, no Sena MLC has so far shifted to the Shinde Sena.

The Congress had said a few weeks ago that it was interested in leading the opposition in the upper house and it would talk it out with the Sena and NCP. When asked on Monday about this, Opposition leader in the assembly and NCP strongman Ajit Pawar said the party which has higher numbers would get the post. “The NCP got in the Assembly because we have the most MLAs (after the Sena’s division). Same should apply to the Council,” he said.

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