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Samajwadi Party leader Mata Prasad Pandey. (Image: @mataprasadsp/X)
Veteran SP leader Mata Prasad Pandey is a seven-time MLA, who has previously served as the assembly speaker for two terms. He represents the Itwa constituency in Siddharthnagar district of UP
The Samajwadi Party on Sunday (July 28) appointed Mata Prasad Pandey as the Leader of the Opposition in the Uttar Pradesh legislative assembly. He will replace party chief Akhilesh Yadav, who resigned as MLA from the Karhal seat after he was elected to the Lok Sabha from Kannauj.
The party made the announcement after the decision was taken at a meeting of MLAs at the SP headquarters in Lucknow. Pandey, 81, is a seven-time MLA, who has previously served as the assembly speaker for two terms.
He belongs to the Brahmin community and represents the Itwa constituency in Siddharthnagar district. Former state minister and Kanth MLA Kamal Akhtar was named the chief whip of the SP while Rakesh Kumar Verma will be the deputy whip.