Congress group leader Vijay Wadettiwar, a former Shiv Sena leader, and Dr Neelam Gorhe, who had been associated with other parties before joining the Sena, were elected to prestigious positions in the lower and upper house of the state respectively on Monday.

Wadettiwar was elected unopposed as the opposition leader in the Assembly to replace Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, who, after defecting to BJP was made a minister a week ago. Dr Gorhe, a firebrand woman legislator who was with RPI factions of Prakash Ambedkar and Ramdas Athawale, was given the charge of deputy chairman of the legislative council, without any opposition. Both posts have a ministerial status.