Shiv Sena MLAs on Thursday elected Eknath Shinde as the leader of the party’s legislative wing. His name was proposed by Sena Youth Wing chief Aaditya Thackeray, who recently became a member of legislative assembly from Worli. Three-time MLA, Eknath Shinde is a cabinet minister of PWD, Public Health and Family Welfare in the Devendra Fadnavis government. Before taking over as minister, Shinde served as a corporator in the Thane Municipal Corporation for two terms. He was also a member of the standing committee for three years and the leader of the House for four years.

Khadse has been elected from Kopri-Pachpakhadi assembly constituency of Thane. He has won this seat three times — 2004, 2009 and 2014. First-time MLA Aaditya Thackerey tabled the motion to elect Shinde as the leader of the House and Pratap Sarnaik seconded the motion.

Sena leaders today also elected Sunil Prabhu as chief whip of the party in the 288-member House. Two-time MLA, Prabhu represents Dindoshi assembly constituency, which is in the suburb of Malad. Before being elected to the House, Prabhu served as the corporator in Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation from 1997 to 2012. From 2012 to 2014, he was the Mayor of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.

The development comes over a week after the assembly results were announced in Maharashtra, where Sena and BJP have got the majority to form the government. However, the talks are yet to begin between both the alliance partners as there are some disagreements over the term of the top post in Maharashtra. The Shiv Sena leaders are scheduled to meet Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari today at 6.15 pm.

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut, however, has said that his party leaders will meet the Governor to discuss the losses faced by farmers due to heavy rain in the state.