"People of Maharashtra with MVA": Congress' Balasaheb Thorat

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 5 : Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee president Balasaheb Thorat said that the people of the state are with Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).

"Those who have people's support are always stronger. The people of Maharashtra are with us (MVA). They are also coming to us. They did not like what happened," Thorat said.

On Ajit Pawar joining the BJP camp and being sworn in as the Deputy Chief Minister, he said, "I haven't had any talks with him."

On claiming the position of Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly, the Congress leader said, "The ones who have the numbers should get the position."

Earlier in the day, Balasaheb Thorat said that Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance partners will fight the 2024 Lok Sabha election together.

"We (NCP, Congress and Uddhav Thackeray faction) will fight together against BJP. Congress will get a good number of seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha. MVA is together and the people of the state are with us," Balasaheb Thorat said.

Nationalist Congress Party Chief Sharad Pawar on Monday said that if Congress wants to appoint their opposition leader, then it would be a valid demand as the party with the maximum number of MLAs gets to appoint the LoP.

On Congress' claim to the Leader of Opposition post, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar had earlier said on Monday, "The party which has the maximum number of MLAs can demand the LoP post. As per my information, Congress has the maximum number currently and if they ask for it then it's valid demand."

Ajit Pawar and Chhagan Bhujbal along with Dilip Patil, Hasan Mushrif, Dhananjay Mundo, Dharmaraobaba Atram, Aditi Tatkare, Sanjay Bansode and Anil Patil joined Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis-led Maharashtra government on Sunday.

The NCP on Monday disqualified nine MLAs including Ajit Pawar, who were sworn in as ministers in the Shinde-Fadnavis government on July 2, for indulging in anti-party activities. The NCP moved a disqualification petition against the nine MLAs to Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar.

The NCP leader of the Ajit Pawar faction, Praful Patel on Monday, in a joint conference announced that Lok Sabha MP Sunil Tatkare has been appointed as the new State President of the party in Maharashtra.