Mumbai: Maharashtra Assembly election results are out and it is a landslide victory for the Mahayuti alliance, which has secured over 215 seats, surpassing the double century mark. The BJP alone is leading in 125 seats, while its allies Shiv Sena and NCP are leading in 55 and 38 seats, respectively.
On the other hand, the Mahavikas Aghadi alliance is trailing far behind, with a total of 52 seats. The Congress, Shiv Sena Ubatha, and Sharad Pawar’s NCP are leading in 20, 19, and 13 seats, respectively. The Mahavikas Aghadi alliance, which was initially claiming the post of chief minister, will not even get the post of Leader of Opposition. This is because, according to the constitution, a party needs to secure at least 10 per cent of the total seats to be eligible for the Leader of Opposition post.
No party meets 10% seat rule
Dr Anant Kalse, the former Chief Secretary of the Maharashtra Legislature, recently clarified a rule in Parliament regarding the position of Leader of the Opposition. According to the rule, for a party to hold this post in either the Lok Sabha or a State Legislative Assembly, it must secure at least ten per cent of the total seats. In the current scenario, none of the opposition parties are likely to reach the required number. The Congress party has secured 20 seats, Shiv Sena Uddhav 19 and Sharad Pawar’s NCP 13. None of these parties can reach the 28-seat threshold for the Leader of the Opposition, meaning the state will not have a designated opposition leader.
In the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections, no opposition party met the ten per cent requirement, due to this, the position of Leader of the Opposition was left vacant. With 543 seats in the Lok Sabha, a party needed at least 55 seats to qualify. In both 2014 and 2019, Congress won only 44 and 52 seats, respectively, falling short of the required number. However, with Congress securing 99 seats in the 2024 elections, Rahul Gandhi has now assumed the post of Leader of the Opposition.
Opposition leader vital for balanced governance
The role of the Leader of the Opposition is crucial in a democracy. In the Legislature, the position is equal to that of a Cabinet Minister, entitling the leader to a salary, allowances and other privileges. The Leader of the Opposition serves as a check on the government’s actions, questioning its policies and holding it accountable. The role is important for maintaining a balanced government and preventing arbitrary legislation. Without an Opposition voice, the government could operate without scrutiny, making the presence of a strong opposition indispensable.
