Nagpur, Dec 12 (NationPress) Shiv Sena-UBT leader Uddhav Thackeray met with Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narvekar and Legislative Council Chairman Ram Shinde on Friday, presenting a memorandum that calls for the prompt appointment of Leaders of the Opposition in both legislative bodies.

The Maha Vikas Aghadi has put forth the name of Shiv Sena-UBT legislator Bhaskar Jadhav for the Assembly's Leader of the Opposition position and Congress legislator Satej Patil for the same role in the Legislative Council.

During a press conference, Thackeray voiced his strong dissatisfaction regarding the ongoing delays in appointing the LoPs in the state Assembly and Council, despite multiple requests. He referenced the time when the AAP government was in power in Delhi, noting that the BJP was awarded the Leader of the Opposition position despite having only three legislators.

The former chief minister of Maharashtra insisted that the appointment of Leaders of the Opposition in both legislative houses should occur without further delay.

"Despite winning only three out of 70 seats, the Aam Aadmi Party granted the Leader of the Opposition title to the BJP. At that juncture, the BJP accepted it, even with insufficient numbers," he remarked.

Thackeray also declared that decisions regarding the names for the Leaders of the Opposition positions in both the Assembly and the Council cannot be made by anyone outside the opposition; these will be nominated by him for his party and by the Congress for the Council.

Ultimately, the MVA has finalized the nominations of Bhaskar Jadhav and Satej Patil as Leaders of the Opposition for the state Assembly and Council respectively.

He emphasized that the Mahayuti cannot determine the names for the Leaders of the Opposition positions in either legislative house.

"The ruling party does not get to dictate who should be appointed as the Leader of the Opposition or who to suggest; it is us, the opposition, not the ruling party," he reiterated, stating that both Houses must include the Leader of the Opposition position during the current winter session.

On the topic of the demand for a separate 'Vidarbha state', Thackeray stated that such a demand is unfeasible.

He affirmed that Vidarbha is integral to Maharashtra, and no one can partition it. "There cannot be a separate Vidarbha. The demand for a separate Vidarbha is untenable because Maharashtra encompasses Vidarbha and Vidarbha is part of Maharashtra," he concluded.