India, Sept. 9 -- The Congress on Monday staked a claim to the leader of the opposition (LOP) post in the state legislative council through a letter to legislative council chairman Ram Shinde. The party is likely to propose the name of senior leader Satej Patil for the post which has been vacant after the incumbent LOP, Ambadas Danve of the Shiv Sena (UBT), retired last week. HT had reported on July 20 that the Congress would claim the position and was likely to nominate Patil.

Before meeting Shinde, senior Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat, Congress legislative party leader Vijay Wadettiwar and MLA Amin Patel called on Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and sought his support for the party's claim on the LOP post, confirmed a senior leade...