Legislative Council polls: It’s Sena-BJP versus Congress-NCP

All four parties reach understanding, to contest three seats each

Mumbai: The Shiv Sena has decided to form an alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the biennial elections to six Legislative Council seats on May 21.

Both Sena and BJP will contest three seats each, while the opposition Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) too have reached an agreement to contest three seats each.

The elections to the six local authorities seats were necessitated as three members from NCP, two from BJP, and one Congress MLC are retiring on June 21. These MLCs will be elected by local civic body members. The six seats going for polls are Konkan (Raigad, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg), Nasik, Latur-Beed-Osmanabad, Amaravati, Parbhani-Hingoli and Wardha-Chandrapur-Gadchiroli.

Aniket Tatkare, son of former NCP state unit chief Sunil Tatkare, will be the NCP candidate from Konkan. While the BJP is not contesting this seat as Shiv Sena’s Rajeev Sable is the candidate. Despite speculations, Narayan Rane’s Maharashtra Swabhiman Paksha (MSP) will not contest the seat, and is likely to support Mr. Tatkare.

With NCP fielding Ramesh Karad, who left the BJP to join this party on Wednesday, from Latur-Osmanabad-Beed, the BJP has chosen former NCP leader Suresh Dhas for this crucial seat. The NCP is likely to work hard for the victory of Mr. Karad as Mr. Dhas was responsible for the party losing power in Beed Zilla Parishad.

In Nashik, Shivaji Sahane, who was expelled by the Shiv Sena, was declared as the NCP candidate in place of sitwting MLC Jayant Jadhav. Mr. Shahane is pitted against Sena’s Narendra Darade.

Parbhani-Hingoli, which was earlier with the NCP, will this time have a Congress candidate Suresh Deshmukh, former MLA. BJP’s state unit secretary Ramdas Ambatkar filed his nomination from Wardha-Chandrapur- Gadchiroli seat and is pitted against Indrakumar Saraf (Congress). The Minister of State for Industries and BJP candidate Pravin Pote-Patil will take on Congress’ Anil Madhogadia at Amravati.

Lok Sabha bypoll

NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik on Thursday announced that they have reached a consensus with Congress on the by-elections to the Bhandara-Gondia Lok Sabha seat. “NCP will contest from Bhandara-Gondia, while Congress will put up a candidate from Palghar. Congress will also contest for the Assembly bypoll in Palus-Kadegaon, Sangli,” he said.

In an unexpected turn of events, family members of the late BJP MP from Palghar, Chintaman Wanaga met with Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday, and alleged that the BJP had ignored them.

“We had sought time from CM Devendra Fadnavis and BJP Maharashtra chief Raosaheb Danve after the death of my husband, but we did not get any response,” said Jayashree Wanaga, wife of the former MP. His sons Shrinivas and Praful said they have no political pressure but are contemplating joining the Sena.

Sena denies alliance

Refuting allegations that Sena and BJP have entered into an alliance for the Council polls, Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray said late on Thursday night, “We are not into any form of alliance. Sena is contesting seats which it thinks will win for sure. This is not an alliance,” said Mr. Thackeray.

He said the family of Wanaga is welcome in Sena and a decision to contest Lok Sabha bypolls from both Palghar and Bhandara-Gondia seats will be taken within a few days.

The Palghar bypoll is likely to be interesting as the Sena has said previously that it would not put up a candidate if any family member contests. Congress and CPM have already announced their decision to contest the byelection.