Maharashtra Assembly gets a new Leader of Opposition

Senior Congress leader Vijay Vadettiwar will hold the post for just two months

Senior Congress leader Vijay Vadettiwar, MLA from Vidarbha, was on Monday nominated the new Leader of Opposition in the Assembly. Assembly speaker Haribhau Bagde on Monday announced Mr. Vadettiwar’s nomination after the impasse over selection of deputy chairman of the Council was resolved with the appointment of Shiv Sena’s Neelam Gorhe,

The Congress leader will get only two months to work as the LoP as this the last session of the legislature before Assembly polls are held later this year. Mr. Vadettiwar’s elevation as LoP is also seen as a reward for his contribution in the victory of the lone Congress MP from Maharashtra from Chandrapur Lok Sabha constituency.

Mr. Vadettiwar, an MLA from Chandrapur’s Bramhapuri constituency is the third LoP in Assembly since

2014 as the previous two joined the government as Cabinet ministers. Shiv Sena’s Eknath Shinde was the first LoP, who became Cabinet minister after Sena decided to join the State government led by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Senior Congressman Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil who became the LoP after him, switched sides in the first week of June

2019 and was sworn-in as the State’s Housing minister last week.

As Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis placed the resolution to congratulate the newly-appointed LoP, he said though Mr. Vadettiwar’s term would be short, he is likely to remain on the opposite side even after the Assembly polls.

“I have been in the legislature for 21 years and do my duty bestowed upon me by the people. Wherever I was, I did my duties honestly. This is a new responsibility given to me by my party and I will fulfil it with total commitment and honesty,” said Mr Vadettiwar. He claimed that unlike his predecessor, there will be no change in his loyalty.

A leader from Vidarbha’s Gadchiroli and Chandrapur districts, Mr .Vadettiwar began his political journey with the National Students Union of India (NSUI). He joined Shiv Sena and worked as Zilla Parishad member of Gadchiroli ZP between

1991-93. During the first Sena-BJP government he was sent to the Legislative Council as Sena MLC from

1998 to

2004. He quit the Sena with former Chief Minister Narayan Rane to join the Congress. He was the MLA from Chimur assembly seat from

2004 to

2014 and won the election from Bramhapuri in

2014.