No harm in delay over decision on LoP, says speaker Rahul Narwekar

Mumbai: Maharashtra assembly speaker Rahul Narwekar on Tuesday said it took more than three months for the Shiv Sena (UBT) to submit a letter seeking the appointment of leader of opposition, and it doesn't matter if he takes a little time to decide on it.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Bhaskar Jadhav, whose name has been given to the speaker for appointment as the leader of opposition, lamented the delay in a decision on the matter.

Jadhav raised the issue on Tuesday after the House passed a motion congratulating Chief Justice of India Bhushan Gavai for his appointment to the top post.

Narwekar said the current legislative assembly came into existence on November 24, 2024 and its first session was convened on December 7 last year.

"It took three-and-a-half months to submit a letter to me for the appointment of leader of opposition. It doesn't matter if it takes two-and-a-half months to take a decision," Narwekar said.

The ruling Mahayuti, comprising the BJP, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar's NCP, secured a landslide victory in the state assembly polls last year.

The combined strength of the opposition parties, including the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT), in the 288-member state assembly is nearly 50.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) has the strength of 20, party MP Sanjay Raut had said.

In the past, the post of LoP was given to opposition parties even as they had not won 10 per cent of the seats at that time, he had said.

Even if the strength of MLAs is less, there is no law or provision in the Constitution which says the House should function without the LoP, he added.