Eknath Shinde camp keeps Uddhav Thackeray loyalists out of Assembly panel

The legislative secretariat has also accepted the names of Chief minister Eknath Shinde as the legislative party leader and Bharat Gogawale as the new chief whip of the legislative party.

None of the 15 MLAs, who have not extended support to Shinde, are being made part of the BAC.

Sources in the government said there was no question of inviting others since Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena MLAs are a part of the government and it has been recognised as a legislative party inside the House. “As per the rules, Shiv Sena representatives are part of the BAC. CM and other ministers from his party are in the BAC and there is no question of inclusion of others,” a leader from the Shinde camp said.

Meanwhile, the Thackeray-led camp has moved swiftly in the state council staking claim over the post of the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Upper House. Ambadas Danve has been appointed as the LoP in the council as Sena has the largest number of MLCs among the three Opposition parties.

On Thursday afternoon, a meeting of opposition parties is set to be held where a discussion on the strategy for the monsoon session will be discussed.