With the MLC elections set to be underway today in Maharashtra, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition is now facing the challenge of getting all its six candidates elected. are looking to MLAs of the ruling Shiv Sena have apparently conveyed told their leadership that they do not want transfer their excess votes to nominees of allies Congress and NCP. The ruling coalition was outwitted by the BJP in the Rajya Sabha polls, with the party's second nominee Sanjay Pawar defeated by BJP's Dhananjay Mahadik.
The MLAs of the three ruling parties and the BJP have reached Mumbai ahead of the elections. They have been kept in hotels at different locations in the city. The MVA allies and the BJP were holding discussions as well as reaching out to leaders of smaller parties and Independents to devise their strategy for winning the polls.
A total of 11 candidates are in the fray for the 10 seats up for grabs, with the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress fielding two candidates each. The BJP has nominated five candidates.
The MLAs form the electoral college for the MLC elections.
The effective strength of the 288-member Maharashtra House is reduced to 285 following the death of Shiv Sena MLA Ramesh Latke, while two NCP MLAs—Nawab Malik and Anil Deshmukh are currently in jail and are not allowed to vote by the high court.
Smaller parties and Independents account for 25 MLAs. The quota for first preference votes per candidate to win the MLC polls is 26. The BJP has 106 MLAs in the House, Shiv Sena-55, Congress-44 and NCP-52.
Given its strength in the assembly, the BJP can get four of the five candidates elected, the Sena and the NCP two each, and the Congress one. A total of 11 candidates are in the fray for the 10 Council seats up for grabs, with the MVA allies—Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress—fielding two candidates each. The BJP has nominated five candidates.
