Mumbai, Apr 23 (PTI) The BJP will contest four of the nine seats in the Maharashtra legislative council biennial elections scheduled next month.
Sources said the state BJP core committee, chaired by Chief
Minister Devendra Fadnavis, met on Wednesday night to discuss the strategy for the polls as well as the bypoll for one council seat vacated after Pradnya Satav of the Congress resigned as MLC to join the BJP.
“The BJP will contest four of the nine seats and field a candidate for the bypoll. The names of probable candidates were discussed, and the shortlisted ones will be sent to the central leadership for clearance,” said a source.
Nine council members, including former CM Uddhav Thackeray and legislative council deputy chairperson Neelam Gorhe, are retiring on May 13.
As per the schedule announced by the Election Commission of India, polling will be held on May 12. The counting of votes will take place on the same day at 5 pm, and the entire process is expected to be completed by May 13.
Members of the legislative assembly will vote to elect these ten council members.
Given the current strength in the assembly, the ruling Mahayuti alliance, comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP, is likely to secure up to nine of the 10 seats, while the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) is likely to win only one seat.
The quota for winning a seat in the biennial election has been fixed at 29 votes, while the by-election will require 144 votes.
If newly elected members from Baramati and Rahuri assembly constituencies (whose bypolls are being held on April 23) become eligible to vote, the quota may rise to 145 for the bypoll seat.
As per the poll schedule, the notification will be issued on April 23, while the last date for filing nominations is April 30. Scrutiny will take place on May 2, and the last date for withdrawal of candidature is May 4. PTI MR NR
