Council polls: Two seats may see internal fight between MVA, Mahayuti allies

Elections to three graduates’ constituencies – Pune, Aurangabad and Nagpur – and two teachers’ constituencies – Pune and Amravati – will be held on October 23

Mumbai: With the deadline for filing nominations for biennial elections to five seats in the legislative council ending on Tuesday, two seats are likely to witness direct contests between parties within the ruling Mahayuti and opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliances, respectively.

Council polls: Two seats may see internal fight between MVA, Mahayuti allies

From the Mahayuti, the BJP and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena have both fielded candidates for the Pune teachers’ constituency, while in the Nagpur graduates’ constituency, former BJP MLA Anil Sole has filed his nomination papers, pitting himself against the party’s official candidate Sudhakar Kohale.

Similarly, in the MVA, the Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP) have both fielded candidates for the Aurangabad graduates’ constituency.

Elections to three graduates’ constituencies – Pune, Aurangabad and Nagpur – and two teachers’ constituencies – Pune and Amravati – will be held on October 23.

On Tuesday, the last day for filing nominations, Shiv Sena’s Mangesh Chivate filed his nomination from the Pune teachers’ constituency in the presence of senior party leaders, putting himself against the BJP’s Saurabh Gawade.

Referring to the tussle, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said the two parties were holding discussions to arrive at a consensus.

“We could not reach a mutual consensus on seat-sharing, which resulted in both parties filing nominations. We have decided to continue discussions after filing the nominations, and a decision will be taken before the last date for withdrawal on Friday,” the chief minister said.

According to BJP sources, the Shiv Sena was likely to withdraw Chivate’s candidature on Friday.

In the Nagpur graduates’ constituency, the BJP has failed to convince its rebel leader, Anil Sole, to withdraw his nomination against the party’s official candidate, Sudhakar Kohale.

When the BJP state president went to meet Sole on Monday to persuade him to withdraw from the fray, the former MLA reportedly refused to meet him. “There is no question of withdrawing,” Sole told reporters.

A similar rift has emerged within the opposition MVA in the Aurangabad graduates’ constituency, where the NCP (SP) has fielded Pratapsinh Patil, while the Shiv Sena (UBT) has fielded Dilip Ghuge. Both parties claimed that discussions within the alliance were underway and the rival candidate would withdraw from the contest.

In the Pune teachers’ constituency, the Congress has fielded sitting MLC Jayant Asgaonkar, and senior party leader Satej Patil has taken charge of his poll campaign. Patil faces an emotional challenge as his niece, Smita Jadhav, is the BJP candidate from the same constituency.

“A maternal uncle will always have a soft corner for his niece. But the party’s decision is supreme. I will work to ensure the victory of the MVA’s official candidates in both seats in Pune,” Patil said.

The Congress leader also said that the MVA would contest the legislative council polls as a united alliance and work to persuade rebel candidates to withdraw their nominations.