Speaker’s prerogative to appoint leader of opposition: Narwekar

Mumbai: Even as the Nationalist Congress Party’s (NCP) working president Supriya Sule announced the ‘appointment’ of Jitendra Awhad, Mumbra MLA, as the leader of the opposition, the Maharashtra legislative assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar has said that it is his prerogative to make that appointment.

After the split in the NCP on Sunday, Narwekar said, “The leader of the opposition is to be appointed by the Speaker. It is the prerogative of the Speaker based on precedence and rules. Till now, I have received the resignation of Ajit Pawar as the leader of the opposition. I am yet to receive communication from the opposition parties. I have to see the strength of the opposition parties and will have to consider all this.’’

Appointment of the leader of the opposition is done on factual position of the opposition. We will have to hear all the opposition parties. I will have to see who the opposition is and who is in the government. Political parties cannot appoint the leader of opposition suo motu, said Narwekar.

The Ajit Pawar camp claimed that they have signatures of 37 MLAs and said that they will get six more. Congress has 45 MLAs, while Shiv Sena (UBT) group has 16 MLAs. The BJP has 105 MLAs.

Congress legislative party leader Balasaheb Thorat said, “They (NCP) may have announced the leader of the opposition’s appointment in over enthusiasm. That appointment is done by the Speaker. The party with the highest numbers will get the leader of the opposition post. The NCP can appoint a whip and a group leader.”

Thorat said, “I spoke with Supriya tai. She said that she is in alliance with Congress and said that we will fight together.”

Shiv Sena group leader Arvind Choudhari said, “Congress has the largest number of MLAs, they will claim the leader of the opposition post. But it is a matter of the NCP’s internal arrangement.”