Mumbai, March 16 Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray expressed frustration on Monday over the failure to appoint leaders of the opposition in the Maharashtra legislature, despite repeatedly raising the issue.
He met Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar and requested appropriate action.
"There are still no Leaders of the Opposition in both Houses since the new government came to power (after the 2024 assembly polls). I came here to remind him (Narwekar) and request that appropriate action be taken. I have been raising this issue every year," Thackeray told reporters after meeting Narwekar at the Vidhan Bhavan.
He said he requested the speaker to expedite the appointment of a Leader of the Opposition.
"This position is an important democratic mechanism meant to ensure government accountability," he added.
For the first time, the ongoing budget session of the legislature is functioning without a Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in both the assembly and the council.
The Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) had stated that the absence of LoPs weakens institutional checks and balances at a time when the ruling BJP-led Mahayuti enjoys a commanding majority.
The vacancy in the assembly has persisted since the 2024 assembly elections, in which no single opposition party crossed the conventional 10 per cent strength required for recognition of the LoP.
Congress's Vijay Wadettiwar and Shiv Sena (UBT)'s Ambadas Danve were the last leaders of the opposition in the legislative assembly and council, respectively.
