Cong yet to name LoP in Maharashtra

CONGRESS president Mallikarjun Kharge is yet to finalise the Congress MLA's name for the post of the leader of the Opposition a week after the monsoon session of the Maharashtra assembly began on July 17.

- SUDHIR SURYAWANSHI

NCP leader Ajit Pawar, who was the LoP in the Assembly, joined the BJP-led government as deputy chief minister on July 2. Since then the post has been lying vacant.

According to a senior Congress leader, the party is the largest entity in the 288-member Assembly with 45 MLAs. It has decided to lay its claim over the LoP post.

"Maharashtra Congress in-charge and Karnataka minister HR Patil has called a meeting of party MLAs to discuss the name for the LoP. Sources said a few names were discussed and that he submitted a report more than two weeks ago. However, the Congress leadership is yet to finalise the name."

The situation has prompted some MLAs, to lobby for the post. "We expected the final decision on the eve of the monsoon session of the Assembly. However, it has been a week since the session began," said a senior Congress leader.