Maharashtra MLC election result: 2 candidates each of ruling allies NCP, Shiv Sena; 4 of BJP win
Maharashtra MLC elections: Four candidates of Maharashtra’s ruling Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party had won the Maharashtra Legislative Council polls on Monday, said officials. Four candidates of BJP had won as well. The final vote tally will be announced when all the rounds of counting are over, officials added.
All the eight candidates secured the minimum quota of 26 votes each to make it to the Upper House of the state legislature, said the official.
The winning candidates are Shiv Sena’s Sachin Ahir and Amshya Padvi. Chairman of Legislative Council and NCP candidate Ramraje Nimbalkar, Leader of Opposition in the Upper House Pravin Darekar of the BJP and former BJP minister and now NCP nominee Eknath Khadse easily bagged a sufficient number of first preference votes to post wins.
BJP’s Shrikant Bharti, Praveen Darekar, Uma Khapre and Ram Shinde were also declared winners in the MLC polls. The two nominees of the Congress, which is part of the ruling coalition MVA, failed to secure the minimum quota of the first preference vote.
Voting for the elections to 10 vacant MLC seats was held between 9 am and 4 pm at the Legislature Complex in south Mumbai.
Who has fielded whom?
The NCP has fielded Ramraje Naik Nimbalkar and former minister Eknath Khadse, who had quit the BJP to join the Sharad Pawar-led party. The Shiv Sena has nominated Sachin Ahir and Amshya Padvi, a party functionary from the tribal-dominated Nandurbar district.
The Congress has fielded Mumbai Congress chief Bhai Jagtap and former minister Chandrakant Handore. The BJP has renominated outgoing MLCs Darekar and Lad, and given tickets to Ram Shinde, Uma Khapre and Shrikant Bharatiya.
The state MLAs form the electoral college for the MLC elections.
The effective strength of the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly 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.
(agencies inputs)