Mahayuti sweep to leave Maharashtra assembly without Leader of Opposition

As per the EC website, the BJP won 132 seats, while Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena emerged victorious on 57 seats

Following the Mahayuti's overwhelming win in Maharashtra, the state assembly will lack a leader of opposition as no party outside the ruling alliance has been able to get the mandatory threshold of 29 seats.

As per data made available on the Election Commission website, the Shiv Sena (UBT), part of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), has won 20 seats.

The votes for the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly election, held in a single phase on November 20, were counted on November 23.

As per the EC website, the BJP won 132 seats, while Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena emerged victorious on 57 seats. The third constituent of the Mahayuti, the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), won 41 seats.

In the Maha Vikas Aghadi, the Congress won 16 seats, while Sharadchandra Pawar's NCP won ten seats.

Therefore, no opposition party managed to secure the minimum 29 seats needed to appoint a Leader of Opposition.

Although the opposition alliance's combined seats would meet the threshold, the rules specify that the leader of opposition post is determined by the strength of individual parties, not alliance even if it was pre-poll.

In light of the current scenario, the 15th Maharashtra Legislative Assembly could function without a leader of opposition, similar to the absence of one in the 16th Lok Sabha.