Even as all eyes are set on the Rajya Sabha poll to be held on June 10, political parties in Maharashtra have also been discussing another crucial election, to the State council to be held on June 20. Ten seats in the upper house of the State legislature will be up for grabs.
According to the poll programme announced by the Election Commission of India, June 9 is the last date to file nominations for the elections that are unlikely to be unopposed, going by the animosity between the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) and Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
According to sources, Sena is likely to continue Anil Desai and may opt for Sachin Ahir for the second seat. On Tuesday, Mr. Ahir and Mr. Desai held a meeting with Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. “We met to discuss issues in Worli Assembly constituency. I have not asked for anything from the party, but am ready to take any responsibility,” Mr. Ahir said after the meeting.
NCP is likely to renominate Naik Nimbalkar and may give chance to Eknath Khadse who was originally named in the list of 12 MLCs to be appointed by the Governor that has been pending for over a year and a half now. Another NCP leader Amarsinh Pandit’s name is also being discussed. Congress too will get a seat.
Opposition BJP can elect four MLCs as six of its members will be retiring. The ruling MVA had proposed that in return for unopposed election to the Rajya Sabha, it will ensure the victory of a fifth BJP candidate. The BJP declined.
Ten members of the State legislative council — BJP’s Leader of Opposition Pravin Darekar, Sadabhau Khot, Sujitsinh Thakur, Vinayak Mete, Prasad Lad, the late Ramniwas Singh; Nationalist Congress Party’s Ramraje Naik Nimbalkar, who is the also the chairman of the council, Sanjay Dound; Shiv Sena’s Industries Minister Subhash Desai and Diwakar Raote — will be retiring on July 7.
