Papa Modi spices up Maharashtra Council polls

The sudden entry of Rajkishor Papa Modi of the Congress has spiced up the ensuing Maharashtra Legislative Council polls.

The election to nine seats of the Council assumes National importance as Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray is one of the candidates.

The electoral college for the polls is the 288-member Maharashtra Legislative Assembly and a candidate has to secure 29 votes to enter the Upper House.

Papa Modi’s entry means there are now 10 contestants for nine seats.

While in New Delhi AICC General Secretary In-charge of CEC Mukul Wasnik announced the name of Rajesh Rathod, in Mumbai, Maharashtra Congress President and Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat announced the name of Papa Modi.

Rathod is a three-time zilla parishad member from Partur in Jalna and son on former MLA Dhondiram Rathod. Rajesh, who hails from the Banjara community, is close to Rajeev Satav, one of the close aides of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

As far as Papa Modi is concerned, he is Beed district chief of the party and is known to enjoy good relations across sections.

Besides Thackeray, the Shiv Sena has named Dr Neelam Gorhe, who is currently the deputy chairperson of Council.

The BJP has fielded four candidates Ranjitsinh Mohite-Patil, Praveen Datke, Gopichand Padalkar and Dr Ajit Gopchade.

Datke is the Nagpur city BJP president while Dr Gopchade hails from Nanded and the Maharashtra president of BJP’s medical cell.

Padalkar, a well-known Dhangar leader in Maharashtra, had unsuccessfully contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Sangli as a candidate of Prakash Ambedkar-led Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA). He switched sides to join the BJP before the Vidhan Sabha polls and unsuccessfully contested against NCP heavyweight Ajit Pawar from Baramati.

Mohite-Patil is a former NCP Rajya Sabha MP and son of ex-Deputy Chief Minister Vijaysinh Mohite-Patil. The Mohite-Patils have moved to the BJP before the Lok Sabha polls last year.

The Sharad Pawar-led NCP has given tickets to Shashikant Shinde and Amol Mitkari. Shinde, who is close to the deputy chief minister, is a former minister and Mitkari had campaigned extensively during Assembly polls.

The fight, if one goes by the numerical order, will be for the ninth seat.

While the Maha Vikas Aghadi, comprising of the Sena, NCP and Congress, can easily get five seats the BJP can win three. The contest could go any side for the ninth seat.

The BJP’s own strength is 105 seats while the Sena, NCP and Congress have 56, 54 and 44 seats, respectively.

The other parties include Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (3), Samajwadi Party (2), AIMIM (2), Prahar Janshakti Party (2) and one each from Peasants and Workers Party, Swabhimani Paksha, Krantikari Shetkari Paksha, Rashtriya Samaj Paksha, Jansurajya Party, CPI(M) and MNS. There are 13 independents.

The last date of filing of nominations is Monday while polling, if necessary, would be on May 21.

Back-channel talks are underway to ensure that there is no contest as during the lockdown, if extended, it would be difficult for MLAs to travel.