NCP's Dhananjay Munde new LOP in Maharashtra Legislative Council

NAGPUR: Dhananjay Munde of NCP was appointed as the Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Legislative Council today, two days before the ongoing winter session of the state legislature comes to end.

Chairman of the Council, Shivajirao Deshmukh announced Munde's name for the coveted post amidst thumping of desks by members.

According to convention, Munde was escorted to his Chair by other members and group leaders of BJP and Shiv Sena.

Munde, nephew of late BJP stalwart Gopinath Munde, seems to have piped Congress which had also staked the claim to the post.

The non-appointment of the LoP in the Council, since the session began on December 8, resulted in many disruptions of proceedings with the opposition parties demanding immediate filling of the post in view of discussions on important issues they had lined up.

However, the post of Leader of Opposition in Assembly is still lying vacant since elevation of Shiv Sena's Eknath Shinde as a cabinet minister in the BJP-led NDA government in the state.