Amid LoP tussle, Satav switching sides gives Mahayuti advantage in legislature numbers game

Mumbai, Dec 19 (PTI) The Opposition on Friday claimed the ruling Mahayuti has hit multiple targets after Congress MLC Pradnya Satav switched over to the BJP, including tightening its grip on the numbers game in the Maharashtra legislature amid the Leader of Opposition tussle.

Satav, the wife of late Rajiv Satav, a Congressman and close confidant of Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, joined the BJP on Thursday in the presence of its Maharashtra chief Ravindra Chavan and state revenue minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule. Her switch in the midst of local body elections is being seen as a setback to the Congress.

Her resignation as MLC, despite five years left in her term, reduced the Congress' strength in the 78-member Maharashtra Legislative Council to six, dealing a blow to the party's claim for the LoP post. As per norms, a party needs at least 10 per cent of the total strength, or eight members, to lay claim to the post.

The ruling alliance, however, maintains it is merely following constitutional and legal provisions. With the BJP's 22 members in the Council, the Ajit Pawar-led NCP's eight and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena's seven, the balance of power clearly rests with the Mahayuti. As far as the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi is concerned, the Sharad Pawar-led NCP has three members, while Congress and Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena (UBT) have six each.

"The Leader of Opposition has some privileges such as an office, government staff, access to some government related information and all this at the state's expenses. The current regime is against giving such powers to an opposition leader that would eventually target the state using government facilities," claimed a Congress leader.

The impact of Satav's exit is also being felt in the Assembly, where Maha Vikas Aghadi constituents do not have the required strength to claim the LoP post.

Leaders of the ruling alliance argue that since no opposition party meets the 10 per cent criterion, they cannot lay claim to the LoP post. It has meant that three sessions of the legislature have been held since the Devendra Fadnavis government took over in December last year without the LoP.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Bhaskar Jadhav has accused the government of using procedure as a political shield.

"There is no rule that says a particular number of legislators is required to claim the post of Leader of Opposition. I have a letter from the Vidhan Bhavan secretariat to support my claim. The laid down procedure is that the opposition parties decide a name and the speaker has to announce it. This government is hiding behind the speaker and playing games," Jadhav said.

Opposition leaders point out that in the 70-member Delhi Assembly, the BJP was recognised as the opposition despite having only three MLAs. However, they argued that Maharashtra was witnessing a selective interpretation of rules.

By facilitating or benefiting from Satav's resignation, the ruling alliance has simultaneously weakened the Congress, complicated the position of the Shiv Sena (UBT) position and ensured no single opposition party can easily claim institutional space, leaders of these parties pointed out.

The timing of the resignation has added to the controversy as it has come ahead of the January 15 polls to 29 municipal corporations, including Mumbai.

The move has sent a political message to voters of a fragmented and numerically weak opposition, while also neutralising attempts to secure the influential LoP post, these leaders claimed.

As a result, Satav's exit is being viewed not merely as an individual decision but as a strategic development that has allowed the ruling alliance to consolidate advantage on several fronts.

It has also left the opposition grappling with reduced numbers, internal competition and the absence of formal leadership within the legislature, they said. PTI ND BNM