2 Mumbai-based leaders in battle for 10th MLC seat
MUMBAI: The election for 10 seats to the Maharashtra Legislative Council could turn out to be a fierce battle for the tenth slot as the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) can get nine candidates elected on their strength in the assembly. The election is likely to be a fight between two Mumbai-based politicians.
With their respective parties expecting them to get additional votes from independents, small parties or even rival parties, BJP’S Prasad Lad and city Congress chief Ashok alias Bhai Jagtap are expected to have a face off in the June 20 poll.
Among its five candidates, BJP has fielded Lad as its last preferred candidate, while Bhai is Congress’ second of two candidates. If the votes polled by BJP (123) on the June 10 Rajya Sabha polls are considered, BJP needs 13 more votes to win the fifth seat, while Congress needs at least 10 more seats to ensure Jagtap’s victory.
With their targets clear, Lad and Jagtap have already begun talking to independents, small parties and even activating ties with rival parties.
Lad, 51, is a businessman who declared assets of ₹152 crore in this election. Lad’s is a rag-toriches story. His Krystal Integrity Management Services and other such firms in the hospitality, aviation and security services have grown multifold in the last few years. “My fight is not against any individual candidate. The unrest within MVA will play in our favour and the MLAS are not happy with the ruling party leadership. We have made adequate arrangements for the number we require to win all five seats,” Lad said.
Jagtap, 66, began as a trade union leader. Today he is a businessman with stakes in real estate and cable television sectors in Mumbai, Delhi and Chandigarh. He along with his wife declared assets of ₹48.39 crore. “It is not my election alone, but I am the candidate of the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi and all key leaders from three parties are fighting it collectively. We are trying to avoid the mistakes we made in RS and go ahead and win all the six seats. This time there will be better coordination within the ruling combine. We are not indulging in horse-trading,” Jagtap said.
“Lad has an edge over Jagtap on various counts including network across the party lines, resources and the backing from his party. Barring the loyalty to the party and political clout, Jagtap is Congress Mumbai unit chief, but it needs to be seen if it will work in his favour, especially when Sena and Congress are not exactly on good terms as of now,” said a BJP leader.
Prakash Akolkar, a Mumbaibased political analyst, said: “Both Jagtap and Lad are capable of doing anything required to win the election. Though on paper it appears to be the fight between Jagtap and Lad, the results may be different. It all depends on which party BJP and Devendra Fadnavis want to defeat. ”