Mumbai, Oct 30 (IANS) Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Eknathrao G. Khadse was Friday unanimously elected leader of the legislature party at a meeting of newly-elected legislators here.
Subject to the outcome of the ongoing negotiations with its alliance partner Shiv Sena, Khadse could well be the next leader of opposition in the assembly.

Khadse, 57, elected from Muktainagar in Jalgaon district is a farmer by profession with a B.Com degree.

He has been elected from the same constituency five times since 1990. He was also the state BJP spokesman and general secretary.

The BJP emerged as the larger party in the saffron alliance, securing 46 seats against the Shiv Sena’s 44, in this month’s state assembly elections.

After an improved performance vis-à-vis the Sena, the BJP has been clamouring for the coveted cabinet-rank post of leader of opposition.

Ramdas Kadam, the Shiv Sena’s Leader of Opposition in the previous assembly, lost the election from Guhagar constituency in the Konkan while the party was relegated to the fourth position in the state.

Earlier last Monday, the Sena’s senior leader Subhash Desai was unanimously elected as the Sena legislature party leader.