Amid Cross-Voting Concerns, Biennial Elections for 11 Maharashtra Legislative Council Seats Scheduled

Biennial elections for 11 seats in the Maharashtra Legislative Council are set to take place on Friday amidst concerns of cross-voting. The contest includes 12 candidates, notably BJP’s Pankaja Munde and Milind Narvekar, an aide to Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray.

Apart from Munde, who recently lost in the Lok Sabha elections from Beed, BJP has nominated Amit Gorkhe, Sadabhau Khot, and Yogesh Tilekar, alongside renominating Parinay Phuke.

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena has fielded former MPs Bhavana Gawli and Krupal Tumane, while Deputy CM Ajit Pawar’s NCP nominated Shivajirao Garje and Rajesh Vitekar for the MLC polls.

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The ruling Mahayuti coalition comprises BJP, Shinde Sena, and Ajit NCP, while the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) includes Congress, Sharad Pawar-led NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar), and Uddhav Sena.

From the MVA, Congress renominated sitting MLC Pradnya Satav, and Jayant Patil of the Peasants and Workers Party (PWP) seeks reelection with NCP (SP) backing.

The elections will use a preferential voting system, requiring each candidate to secure 23 votes to win. With the Maharashtra Assembly’s reduced strength of 274 (from 288), due to factors like MLA elections to Lok Sabha, deaths, and suspensions, the ruling coalition aims to maintain unity. BJP has 103 MLAs, Shinde Sena 38, NCP 42, Congress 37, Uddhav Sena 15, and NCP (SP) 10, along with 13 Independent MLAs.

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To secure victories for all five BJP candidates, the party may rely on its 111 MLAs with Independent support. Shinde Sena claims support from two Prahar Janashakti Party legislators and seven Independents (totaling 47), potentially securing wins for its two candidates. Ajit NCP claims two Independent votes, needing five more for both seats.

In the MVA bloc, Congress has enough votes for one seat, with 14 left for Narvekar, whose Uddhav Sena (UBT) has 15 MLAs. However, reports suggest discontent among three Congress MLAs.

PWP, with 13 MLAs, requires full support plus backing from smaller parties like Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (three MLAs), AIMIM, Samajwadi Party (two MLAs each), and CPI(M) (one MLA), and votes from across the aisle.

Two years ago, MLC polls yielded surprising outcomes, including the Congress’s Chandrakant Handore’s loss, followed by the MVA government’s downfall as Shinde led a Sena rebellion against then CM Uddhav, splitting the party.

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Ahead of polls, parties housed MLAs in hotels to prevent cross-voting. Shinde and Ajit met their MLAs, while BJP met with in-charge Bhupendra Yadav and Shinde Sena at Hotel ITC Grand Central. Congress convened at Hotel Intercontinental.

With state polls in three months and the ruling side’s Lok Sabha setback in Maharashtra, MVA aims to win an extra seat, possibly with Mahayuti MLAs returning to Uddhav Sena or Sharad Pawar NCP.

Recommended reading: BJP’s MLC picks feature 3 OBCs, a Maratha, and a Dalit face; no withdrawals for 12 candidates.