MVA, BJP ask MLAs to be in Mumbai before MLC polls

Amid fears of cross-voting, the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi and opposition BJP have asked their MLAs and top party functionaries to be in Mumbai by the weekend ahead of the June 10 Maharashtra Legislative Council polls.

Over the last couple of days, the three MVA partners - Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress - had held meetings separately to discuss strategies.

Top MVA leaders and floor-managers too have had information discussions.

In the Council polls, for which the electoral college is 288-member Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, 11 candidates are in the fray for 10 vacancies.

The five BJP candidates are Pravin Darekar, Prof Ram Shinde, Shrikant Bharatiya, Uma Khapre and Prasad Lad.

The six nominations from the MVA are Sachin Ahir and Amasha Padvi (Shiv Sena), Ramraje Naik-Nimbalkar and Eknath Khadse (NCP), Bhai Jagtap and Chandrakant Handore (Congress).

Like Rajya Sabha it is another election where every vote is important - however, the Council elections involve secret voting unlike the polls to the Upper House of Parliament, where the ballot has to be shown to polling agents.

Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar and the Congress leadership have held meetings with their top leaders over the last two days.

Shiv Sena chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut had named Hitendra Thakur-led Bahujan Vikas Aghadi, which has three MLAs and independents - Sanjay Shinde (Karmala), Shyamsunder Shinde (Loha) and Devendra Bhuyar (Morshi). BVA’s three MLAs are Thakur (Vasai), his son Kshitij Thakur (Nalasopara) and Rajesh Patil (Boisar).

Both BJP and MVA partners have once again reached out to independents and smaller parties.

It is also not yet known as to what stand, the Akhilesh Yadav’s Samajwadi Party (SP) and Asaduddin Owaisi’s outfit All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) is going to take.

There are also reports of some differences that have cropped up within the three allies.

NCP legislators - Anil Deshmukh and Nawab Malik - have sought permission of the court to allow them to vote.

The quota for winning would be 26 or 27 depending on the actual number of MLAs voting in the polls. The effective strength of the House is now 287 - one seat is vacant as Shiv Sena legislator Ramesh Latke had passed away last month.

The Shiv Sena can easily win two seats with 55 legislators, while the two NCP candidates can bank on its 51 legislators and independents supporting it. However, the Congress party with 44 legislators needs additional votes from Shiv Sena and NCP and independents and smaller parties, ensuring the victory of its two nominees.

On the other hand, the BJP with 106 seats, can win four seats easily but it is attempting five - and this has led to tension among the MVA leaders. If one goes by the trend of the Rajya Sabha polls, several independents and smaller parties are in touch with BJP.