Mumbai, Oct 6 (PTI) Rebellion has hit the ruling Mahayuti as well as opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) after aspirants from both sides filed nominations against the official candidates as the deadline for submission of candidature forms for the October 23 Maharashtra legislative council polls ended on Tuesday.
Besides the intra-party rebellion by disgruntled aspirants, rumblings have also surfaced within the alliances, with the constituents staking claims to each other’s seats and announcing candidates.
Biennial elections are being held for five seats — three Graduates’ and two Teachers’ constituencies — in the 78-member legislative council. These are Pune Division Graduates’, Nagpur Division Graduates’, Pune Division Teachers’, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Graduates’ and Amravati Teachers’ constituencies.
While the BJP, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and NCP are partners in the Mahayuti government, the Congress, NCP (SP) and Shiv Sena are constituents of the opposition alliance MVA.
In the Nagpur Graduates’ constituency, the Congress has fielded its sitting MLC Abhijeet Wanjari, while the BJP’s Sudhakar Kohale has filed nomination for the seat.
However, all is not well in the BJP as its former MLC and leader Anil Sole, who was also vying to be in the fray, has filed his nomination as an independent candidate after being denied the ticket.
In Amravati Teachers’ constituency, the Congress fielded Aditi Pohare, while the Mahayuti gave candidature to Shiv Sena’s sitting MLC Kiran Sarnaik. However, despite the Congress’s candidate, the Sena (UBT) also fielded Dattatray Lahane.
On Monday, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said the party has fielded Lahane from the Amravati Teachers’ constituency and Dilip Ghuge from the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Graduates’ seat.
For the Pune Graduates’ seat, BJP’s Smita Jadhav, wife of Pudhari Group chairman and editor Yogesh Jadhav, has filed nomination.
While BJP’s Kaustubh Gawde has filed nomination for the Pune Teachers’ Constituency, ally Shiv Sena’s Mangesh Chivte has also jumped the fray from the same seat.
NCP’s state president Sunil Tatkare on Tuesday said the issue of seat-sharing for elections to Teachers’ and Graduates’ constituencies in Maharashtra would be resolved through discussions among alliance partners.
Tatkare said the NCP had two seats — Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Graduates and Pune Graduates — and had hoped that the Pune seat would be given to the party under the alliance arrangement.
“As the NCP state president, and all in the NCP, including our National President, were hopeful that the seat would be given to the NCP. But so far, this has not materialised,” he said.
He said the issue would first be discussed within the party and, if required, with Chief Minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis.
“Whenever such a question arises, there are ways (to resolve). Of course, discussion is the only way. We have to go and have a discussion and that too, amicably. A formula can emerge,” Tatkare said.
Polling will take place on October 23 and votes will be counted on October 27.
Registered graduates and teachers residing within the respective geographical divisions are eligible to vote in these elections. PTI PR MR NP
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