MVA LIKELY TO GAIN TWO MORE SEATS IN THE COUNCIL POLLS

MUMBAI: The Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) is expected to gain two additional seats in the legislative council after the elections next month on the basis of the collective strength it has in the legislative assembly.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced the polls to the council seats on June 20.

Nine seats of the council will become vacant on July 7, while the one which was held by Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) RN Singh became vacant after his demise on January 2.

Of the 10 seats, six members are from BJP, two each from Nationalist Congress Party and Shiv Sena. They were elected on the basis of the strength of the parties six years ago.

In the backdrop of the changed political equations and the existing strength, the three ruling parties can win two seats each, while opposition BJP will lose two seats and win four seats, against the outgoing number of six members.

“This time, we could win only four seats based on our strength in the lower house. The names will be finalised at an appropriate time,” said Maharashtra BJP’S vice president Madhav Bhandari. The members retiring on July 7 are Sadasjhiv Khot, Sujitsinh Thakur, Pravin Darekar, Prasad Lad, Vinayak Mete from BJP; Subhash Desai, Diwakar Raote from Shiv Sena; and Ramraje Naik Nimbalkar, Sanjay Daund from NCP.

“BJP is unlikely to renominate Vinayak Mete and Sadashiv Khot- the two members from BJP’S smaller allies elected to the upper house when the party was in power. The party will renominate Darekar who is leader of opposition in the upper house and party whip Prasad Lad. For the other two seats, Kripashankar Singh, Chitra Wagh are in the race. Sujitsinh Thakur too has fair chances,” said a BJP leader.