Sharad Pawar Clears Stand On Leader Of Opposition And Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker Posts

Sharad Pawar On LoP: Sharad Pawar, the Nationalist Congress Party (SP) President said on Thursday that the Congress will decide who will be the new Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the 18^th Lok Sabha and the selected candidate will be supported by the constituents of the INDIA bloc.

Sharad Pawar, while talking to the media said, "In the INDIA bloc, Congress has bagged the highest number of seats and would be entitled to the LoP post. Before the Lok Sabha session starting from June 24, the INDIA bloc will have a meeting and finalise the name for the LoP post. We shall endorse the decision."

He stated that contrary to political speculation, the position of Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha is unlikely to be assigned to the Opposition parties.

"Last time, Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not honour the promise (to give Deputy Speaker post to the Opposition), though we shall discuss it this time," he said.

Criticizing the Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA government, Pawar stated that the people's trust in PM Modi has been broken in Maharashtra and across the nation, leading to a widespread disbelief in the 'Modi Guarantees'.

Referring to the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) allies Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP (SP), Pawar stated that they are positioned to win at least 155 of the 288 seats in the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections scheduled for October.

"In the recent LS elections, of the 48 seats, the MVA allies bagged 31 seats. If we calculate the six assembly segments that make up these parliamentary constituencies, then we have secured leads/wins in 155-plus Assembly seats in the LS polls. This indicates that the people's mood is against the MahaYuti," he said.

Pawar announced that following the upcoming monsoon session of Parliament, he plans to commence a tour across the state, visiting each constituency where the MVA allies are set to compete in the Assembly elections.

(With IANS inputs)