Mumbai: After the Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar made it clear that his party will work as an opposition, all eyes are on the next leader of opposition.
His nephew and former deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar is eying this post, and as a desperate attempt to pressurise the party supremo for this post, he is again not reachable for the last two days.
The leader of opposition (LOP) in the state assembly is a cabinet rank post and enjoys all facilities and protocol of cabinet minister. LOP in an assembly is considered always next to the chief minister of the state and has almost key priority everywhere, including the media.
The news that Sharad Pawar may appoint Dhananjay Munde or Jayant Patil as LOP may have reportedly upset Ajit Pawar. He is not reachable for the last three days.
Suprisingly, even after his victory with the highest margin in the state, he did not meet the media or his party workers. He was missing in the meeting when Congress state chief Balasaheb Thorat called on Sharad Pawar.
When asked about this the Pawar family claimed that he will be present at the Diwali function at the Pawar family's home at Govindbaug in Baramati. But he skipped this event too. After much media uproar on this, he sent a clarification stating that he would be present on Monday at Govindbaug to meet the workers.
Ajit Pawar, who is now a seven-term member of the assembly, wants the post of LOP. On the one hand it will help him create his image and reach at the state level, on the other it will ensure him protection from any possible arrest in the Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank scam or irrigation scam.
