Riding high on successful Rajya Sabha election from Maharashtra, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has set its eyes on June 20 state council polls for 10 vacant seats, elcetions for which will be through secret ballot.
“We know that despite having won three seats in Rajya Sabha, the Council election will not be easy for us. But we are confident mainly because of the internal conflict within the Maha Vikas Aghadi. We will taste victory in at least five seats,” said Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis.
The quota of votes for the Council election is of 27 and based on that opposition BJP can elect four of its MLCs while six of its members will be retiring. The ruling MVA had proposed that in return to making Rajya Sabha election unopposed, it will ensure victory of fifth BJP candidate, which the BJP declined. The MVA is confident of winning six seats with two seats going to each of the MVA constituents, namely Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress.
The changed equation following Rajya Sabha polls, which saw BJP getting 123 votes, has given the party confidence that it will ensure the victory of five candidates by ensuring few more votes from the MVA. The contest for the 10th seat is likely to be between Prasad Lad of BJP and Bhai Jagtap of Congress.
Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Raut said that the MVA is prepared for the battle for Council seats. “We are sure to have five seats. We require some extra votes from others for the sixth seat. We will work on that,” Mr. Raut said.
As per the calculation, Congress has 44 MLAs which will ensure victory of one of its candidates, that is, former minister Chandrakant Handore. Mr. Jagtap, who is the Mumbai Congress chief would require 17 more votes to ensure his berth in Council.
Going by the original numbers, BJP and its allies have 113 MLAs ensuring smooth victory to its four candidates. The fifth candidate will require 22 more votes which party hopes it will get.
