E-Paper
Uddhav-led Maha alliance set to win 5 of 9 seats in legislative council polls
In the 288-member assembly, the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) has the support of 169 legislators. While the Shiv Sena has 56 legislators, the NCP’s strength is 54 followed by the Congress with 44 and others 15.
The ruling alliance in Maharashtra is set to win five of nine legislative council seats going to the polls on May 21 and is in talks with smaller parties for a sixth, people familiar with the development said.The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) says it is confident of winning four seats.
Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, who leads the Shiv Sena- Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)-Congress coalition government, is among the ruling alliance candidates, contesting the first election of his political career.
Like his father, the late Balasaheb Thackeray, Uddhav Thackeray has so far stayed away from electoral politics. After assuming the chief minister’s post on November 28 , he is constitutionally bound to get elected to either the legislative assembly or the legislative council within six months or by May 27. He is likely to be elected unopposed.
The state cabinet twice recommended to governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari that he be nominated one of the two vacant legislative council seats under the governor’s quota.Thackeray called Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 29 to caution him about an impending constitutional crisis if the governor denied he cabinet’s demand.
Next day, Koshyari urged the Election Commission to hold elections “at the earliest” to the nine legislative council seats that have been vacant since April 24. The last date of filing nominations is May 11 and the last date of withdrawal is May 14.
In the 288-member assembly, the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) has the support of 169 legislators. While the Shiv Sena has 56 legislators, the NCP’s strength is 54 followed by the Congress with 44 and others 15.
The opposition has 115 legislators, including 105 from the BJP and eight independents. Four others are not supporting either combination.
A Congress functionary said on condition of anonymity that the MVA is in talks with the independents and smaller parties, including the Communist Party of India (Marxist), to seek their support
If they agree, the Shiv Sena, the NCP and the Congress will get two seats each.
Apart from Thackeray, the Shiv Sena is likely to renominate Neelam Gorhe.
From the Congress, many leaders, including Rajni Patil, Hussain Dalwai, Manickrao Thakre, Muzaffar Hussain and Arif Naseem Khan have staked their claim for a nomination .
The BJP says it can win four seats.
“We do not anticipate any trouble in getting four of our candidates elected provided the ruling side does not try to overstretch and sticks to nominating only five candidates,” a BJP functionary said, requesting anonymity.
“Normally when such an election takes place where a chief minister or a minister has to be elected all parties are usually keen on the elections being held unopposed. Hopefully, the ruling party will see reason and not push for a situation where election will be required,” he added.
