First ever no LoP session in Maharashtra as politics heats up before Budget

Maharashtra’s Budget Session begins on Monday in an unprecedented political atmosphere , with both the Assembly and the Legislative Council functioning without a formally recognised Leader of Opposition for the first time in the state’s history. The development has intensified tensions between the ruling Mahayuti alliance and the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi.

On the eve of the session, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis questioned the unity of the Opposition after leaders of the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction) skipped an MVA coordination meeting convened to project a common strategy.

The Opposition also boycotted the customary tea party hosted by the government , stating clear reasons for its decision. MVA leaders said the state government had failed to express regret or concern over the potential impact of the Indo US trade deal on Maharashtra’s cotton growers and fisherfolk . They argued that farmers and fishing communities could face economic uncertainty, and accused the government of ignoring their anxieties. The boycott, they said, was a symbolic protest against what they termed the government’s indifference.

Responding sharply, Fadnavis criticised the Opposition’s memorandum, calling it inconsistent and politically motivated. He said the government was prepared for a month-long legislative session , during which 15 Bills are expected to be introduced. The Chief Minister will present the State Budget on March 6.

The absence of Leaders of Opposition in both Houses has become another major flashpoint. Since the 2024 Assembly elections, no Opposition party has crossed the 10 percent threshold required for official recognition of the LoP post. The Maha Vikas Aghadi has described this as a serious blow to democratic checks and balances , arguing that the lack of a formally recognised Opposition weakens accountability inside the legislature.

In the Legislative Council, the Congress’s numbers fell below the eligibility mark after MLC Pradnya Satav resigned in December and later joined the BJP, effectively ending the party’s claim to the LoP position in the Upper House.

As the Budget Session gets underway, the spotlight is not only on fiscal policy and proposed legislation, but also on Opposition cohesion and the broader debate over democratic norms in Maharashtra’s legislature.