Uddhav Thackeray to elect unopposed as Congress withdraws claim

With Congress deciding to withdraw one of its candidates from the upcoming legislative Council polls on Sunday evening, the elections to the nine seats will be unopposed.

With Congress deciding to withdraw one of its candidates from the upcoming legislative Council polls on Sunday evening, the elections to the nine seats will be unopposed. Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray will be elected to the Upper House of the state legislature without an election being held.

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The Congress which seemed adamant on contesting two seats took a decision to contest only on one seat in a meeting held by senior leaders of all the three parties of the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government — Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress.

Rajesh Rathod will be the Congress candidate from the party for the polls. On Saturday, it had declared Rathod as well as Rajkishore alias Papa Modi as its second candidate. It is learnt that Congress took a step back after Thackeray irritated with the politicking sent a message through his party leaders that he will not contest elections unless it is unopposed during a pandemic. Monday was the last day for filing nominations.

Congress leaders said that they took the decision following a request made by the chief minister. “We wanted the MVA to contest on six seats but for that, all the MLAs have to be brought to Mumbai for the polls. During Covid-19 pandemic, it would have created difficulties. The chief minister is also contesting the polls and he has requested us to make the elections unopposed. Considering all the aspects, we have now decided that the MVA will contest on five seats that would help in making the elections unopposed,” said state Congress chief and revenue minister Balasaheb Thorat at Sahyadri guest house where the meeting was held on Sunday evening.

BJP is contesting four seats while NCP and Sena are contesting two seats each leaving one seat for the Congress.

It is learnt that NCP chief Sharad Pawar and Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut called state Congress chief to ask him to reconsider the decision. Late Saturday night, Shiv Sena leader Milind Narvekar, a close aide of the chief minister, is also learnt to have met Thorat and requested him to withdraw a candidate. But, in a meeting held by senior Congress leaders, the party decided that they don’t want to withdraw their claim. Thorat, PWD minister Ashok Chavan, energy minister Nitin Raut and minister of state Satej Patil were present in the meeting held on Sunday morning at an undisclosed location. This irked the chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, who expressed his unhappiness in no uncertain terms. If Thackeray would not have contested the polls, he would have to resign by May 27 followed by his entire cabinet.

Sena MP Sanjay Raut also told media persons on Sunday afternoon that the Chief Minister would not contest polls unless it was unopposed.

“Do we tell people that while they are locked up in their homes; when there is a question mark over their livelihoods and health, political parties in Maharashtra cannot unanimously decide on an election? This would be a blot on Maharashtra’s tradition. Uddhav Thackeray never was and will never be interested in such politics. He is upset over this development. He wanted to contest only if it was unopposed. We are not scared of contesting, but this is not the time to contest elections. It is time to tackle the situation. We have taken this election out of no choice as the state was heading towards instability,” Raut told reporters on Sunday.

He added that if there is voting on May 21, all 288 MLAs would have to come to Mumbai and it would not send a “good message” to the people of Maharashtra at a time when it is battling Covid-19.

BJP used the opportunity to taunt the MVA over differences after Shiv Sena suggested the saffron party to reconsider its decision of contesting on four seats.

“The BJP too does not have enough numbers to get their fourth candidate elected. It is their responsibility as well that election is held unopposed. They [BJP] do not have enough votes for their candidate; they would have to engage in horse-trading. They should also think if an election should be forced upon Maharashtra at such a time,” Raut said.

Former BJP minister Ashish Shelar, in his reply, asked Shiv Sena not to drag them if their own ally (Congress) is not listening to them.

“Respecting the chief minister Uddhav Thackeray and considering the current situation of the state, the elections should be held unopposed. This is the responsibility of the ruling parties. We have fielded candidates on the basis of our strength. Do not drag us if Congress is not listening to you,” Shelar said in his statement.

Meanwhile, NCP has declared Shashikant Shinde and Amol Mitkari both seen as close to Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar as its candidates for the polls. BJP will field Ranjitsinh Mohite Patil, Pravin Datke, Dr Ajit Gopachade and Gopichand Padalkar for the four seats while Thackeray and senior party leader Neelam Gorhe will be Shiv Sena’s candidates. They will all now be elected unopposed.