As the winter session of the Madhya Pradesh assembly inches closer, the race for the post of Leader of Opposition among Congress leaders is intensifying especially in the Bundelkhand region.
Atleast half a dozen senior leaders have already staked a claim for the coveted post which is currently being held by Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC), Kamal Nath.
It is suggested that after the recent by-poll defeat, Nath was pushed by the party high command to either shun either the MPCC chief post or the LoP. The former Chief Minister is most likely to abandon his responsibilities in the assembly.
While some have already staked a claim on the coveted post, MLAs from Bundelkhand have written letters to Congress president Sonia Gandhi and party leader Rahul Gandhi, demanding senior MLA Brijendra Singh Rathore to be notified as the LoP.
Rathore, who had been a minister in the Kamal Nath government, is likely to claim the post as the by-election on Damoh assembly seat is due. Damoh falls under the Bundelkhand region.
The MLAs who hail from Tikamgarh, Chhatarpur, Sagar, Damoh and Niwadi region have claimed that leaders from Vindhya and Gwalior regions have dominated the post till now and the post should go to the Bundelkhand region this time.
Other Congress leaders including Dr Govind Singh, Bala Bachchan, Sajjan Singh Verma, former speaker NP Prajapati, former minister Vijaylaxmi Sadho are in the hunt for the post.
Dr Singh even made his resentment public as it was expected that he would be appointed as the next LoP but following the by-elections, the post was put on hold.
Congress veteran Digvijaya Singh's aide and former minister from Bhopal, PC Sharma too is keen to grab the post.
Before the winter session of the MP assembly begins on 28 December, the Congress Legislative Party (CLP) is slated to meet on December 27 and the LoP appointment will likely be decided during the meeting.