New Delhi: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has recognized Shiv Sena MP Rahul Shewale as the party’s leader in the Lower House of Parliament, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde confirmed on Tuesday.
Following a request for the change by 12 of the 19 Shiv Sena Members of Parliament and Ekant Shinde’s son Shrikant Shinde in the Lok Sabha, the decision got approved.
Speaking to news agency ANI, Rahul Shewale said, “Many MPs were upset with the work of the internal group leader Vinayak Raut so we had written to the Speaker to change the group leader. The Speaker will take action on this. Our chief whip will be the same, there will be no change.”
Meanwhile, Bhavana Gawali has been retained as the Chief Whip.
The 12 Lok Sabha-Shiv Sena members and Shrikant Shinde met Speaker Om Birla and requested him to change the party’s floor leader in the Lower House of Parliament.
The rebel Shiv Sena MPs met Om Birla a day after the party’s floor leader, Vinayak Raut, gave a letter to the speaker, asking him not to entertain any representation from the rival faction.
Shinde said Shiv Sena MPs have supported his stand to uphold the ideals of party founder Balasaheb Thackeray.