Mumbai: Shiv Sena UBT MLAs sit in the Opposition bloc in assembly

The speaker avoided a potential squabble over the seating arrangements of Shiv Sena UBT MLAs. He allotted the seats in the Opposition bloc to Aaditya Thackeray as well as fourteen other MLAs. Meanwhile, after losing party office to Eknath Shinde, the Thackeray camp has decided to sit in councilor LOP Ambadas Danave's cabin in the Vidhan Bhavan. 

It was expected that, as Shiv Sena is still the only single party in legislative records, the MLAs of the Thackeray camp would be shifted near Shiv Sena MLAs. Shivsena, the leader of Eknath Shinde, is seated on the treasurer's benches. This could have become a further embarrassment for Aaditya Thackeray as well as his other fourteen MLAs. But the speaker, who has the authority to decide seating arrangements, has avoided the controversy. 

Sena leaders are given front row seats

Sena UBT leader in the house Ajay Choudhari and Aaditya Thackeray are given front-row seats next to Congressmen Dilip Walse Patil and Ashok Chavan. This is part of the opposition bloc. Behind Aaditya, Ravindra Waikar and Bhaskar Jadhao from Uddhav camp are given the seats. 

On the other hand, Aaditya and his MLAs have started using the office of Ambadas Danave in Vidhan Bhavan. Shinde is given the Shivsena party office on the third floor of Vidhan Bhavan following an order from the Election Commission. So, Aaditya and other MLAs are now using Danave office on ground floor.