Uddhav Thackeray sprang a surprise and upset hopefuls in the Shiv Sena and the Congress on Monday, by recommending a first-time legislator, Ambadas Danve, as the opposition leader in the Legislative Council. The move has started a tussle between the former ruling partners because the Congress has also asked for the coveted position.

In the Uddhav camp, former parliamentary affairs minister Anil Parab was said to be a strong contender for the post because of his seniority and experience, but the party president chose an MLC from Aurangabad-Jalna in Marathwada, where the Eknath Shinde faction has taken maximum sitting members of the Assembly, thus weakening the Matoshree group ahead of the local body polls in Aurangabad where the BJP, the Shinde group and AIMIM will vie for a respectable number.