NCP (SP) picks Jitendra Awhad as party group leader in Maharashtra assembly

Mumbai: The NCP (SP) on Sunday named party MLA Jitendra Awhad as its group leader in the Maharashtra legislative assembly. Debutant MLA Rohit Patil has been appointed as the party's chief whip, said state NCP (SP) president Jayant Patil.

"We have named Jitendra Awhad as the legislature party leader since MLCs were not present at the party meeting of the newly-elected MLAs," he told reporters.

The Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) bagged only 10 of the 86 seats it contested in the Maharashtra assembly polls.


One of the 10 MLAs, Sandeep Kshirsagar, didn't attend the meeting due to prior engagement.

A former minister, Awhad represents the Mumbra-Kalwa assembly constituency in Thane district.

Jayant Patil claimed that the vote percentage on the polling day (November 20) went up by 8 per cent after 5 PM, which has raised doubts, and demanded that elections be conducted on the ballot paper.

NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar and working president Supriya Sule were also present at the meeting of the newly elected MLAs.