Maharashtra to have shadow cabinet

The Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party is planning to set up a shadow cabinet in Maharashtra along the lines of the British system, according to a report in The Asian Age.

According to this system, for each ministry or department, there would be a corresponding member in the opposition benches assigned to follow its progress. This would help in keeping a close tab on each ministry and by extension the government.

Leader of Opposition in the state assembly Narayan Rane told the paper that it would also help legislators better understand various bills introduced in the house.

This is perhaps the first time that this system would be used in India.