Seven nominations comprising three from BJP, two from Shiv Sena and one each from NCP and Congress for Rajya Sabha election were on Wednesday declared valid while two nominations by independents Akshay Sanap and Shyamrao Kadam invalid during the scrutiny. So seven candidates are in fray and both the Maha Vikas Aghadi and BJP have launched hectic parleys with independents and smaller parties to seek their votes. The polling is slated for June 10.
BJP has fielded union minister Piyush Goyal, former state minister Anil Bonde and former MP Dhananjay Mahadik, while Shiv Sena has renominated Sanjay Raut for the fourth time in a row and the Kolhapur district unit chief Sanjay Pawar.
The Nationalist Congress Party has fielded Praful Patel and Congress has given candidature to poet and youth leader from Uttar Pradesh Imran Pratapgarhi.
In the 288-member Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, the MVA has support of 168 legislators comprising the Shiv Sena (55), the NCP (53), the Congress (44), other parties (8) and independents (8). However, the NCP’s strength will be reduced to 51 as two of its ministers, Anil Deshmukh and Nawab Malik, are currently in jail. The NCP will approach the court with a plea to allow Deshmukh and Malik to cast their votes. If the court disallows then NCP’s strength will reduce to 51 and MVA’s to 166.
In the BJP’s case, which has 106 legislators, it has the support of one legislator each of Jan Surajya and Rashtriya Samaj Paksha and five independents. Together, the BJP has a strength of 113 legislators.
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