Mumbai : Nomination of Bhai Jagtap spoiled Congress leader Narayan Rane’s dream to enter the legislative council through election from the local self-government bodies seats, in the biennial elections of State Legislative Council scheduled on December 27. Congress re- nominated Bhai Jagtap, a sitting MLC, and his nomination has been filed.
State Environment Minister Ramdas Kadam from Shiv Sena also filed nomination for MLC seat from Mumbai in the State Legislative Council elections.
Kadam and Jagtap are among the eight sitting MLCs from the local self-government bodies seats in the Upper House of the State Legislature retiring on January 1, 2016. They have been re-nominated again by their respective parties.
With Jagtap being fielded again, the speculation about former chief minister Narayan Rane being the candidate from Congress has been put to rest. The last date of filing of nomination papers is December 9. Polling for elections to eight seats of the Legislative Council from the self-government bodies in Maharashtra would be held on December 27. The term of following Legislative Council members ends on January 1, 2016 – Amrish Patel (Dhule-Nandurbar), Mahadev Mahadik (Kolhapur), Rajendra Mulak (Nagpur) and Bhai Jagtap (Mumbai) – all from Congress.
Two Shiv Sena members – state Environment Minister Ramdas Kadam (Mumbai) and Gopikishan Bajoria (Akola Washim Buldhana) – will also retire on the same day.
NCP’s Deepak Salunke (Solapur) and NCP backed Independent Arun Jagtap (Ahmednagar) will also retire on January 1. The winning quota for two seats from Mumbai is 75.There are a total of 227 corporators in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) who will elect two MLCs. Shiv Sena has the required numbers to get Kadam re-elected, while Congress will need help from NCP and Samajwadi Party.
All eyes will be on the MNS, to see whether it supports the Congress or BJP. BJP will vie for the second seat and field a candidate against Congress’s Jagtap.
