The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra – consisting of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde‘s Shiv Sena and the NCP of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, in addition to the saffron party – bounced back from a disappointing result in the general election by registering a big win in MLC polls.
The BJP fielded five candidates, including Pankaja Munde, the daughter of late senior leader Gopinath Munde. All five won. The Shinde Sena and Ajit Pawar’s NCP named two each. All four won.
The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi – the Congress, and Sena and NCP factions (broken after rebellions by Mr Shinde and Mr Pawar) led Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar – fielded three.
The MLC election is being seen as a ‘semi final’ for the Maharashtra Assembly election later this year.
BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was quick to celebrate, posting a brief message on X (formerly Twitter). “9/9,” he said, adding a thumbs-up emoji for effect.
9/9 👍 #MLCElection #VidhanParishad #Maharashtra
— Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) July 12, 2024
Speaking to reporters after the results, Ajit Pawar said, “Five MLAs supported us, I thank them. When there are elections, allegations are made but I do not think about it…”
#WATCH | On MLC elections, Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar says, “Five MLAs supported us, I thank them. When there are elections, allegations are made but I do not think about it…Mahayuti should get such success in the Vidhan Sabha as well…” pic.twitter.com/DnBeESpLV1
— ANI (@ANI) July 12, 2024
“Mahayuti should get such success in the Vidhan Sabha as well…” he declared.
Voting was held this morning for a total of 11 seats.
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There were 12 candidates fighting for those 11 seats.
The results were not, perhaps, unexpected, given MLCs are elected indirectly; i.e., by Assembly lawmakers and if a party has the MLAs (in this case, 23) it will claim one legislative council seat.
The BJP, which fielded five candidates, has 103 MLAs. This guaranteed four seats and left it 12 short for its fifth. The Shinde Sena has 37, meaning it was nine short. And Ajit Pawar’s NCP had 39 and was seven short. The Mahayuti, therefore, was short by 28 votes to win the nine seats it contested.
Across the aisle, the Congress has 37 MLAs but named only one candidate, giving it 14 surplus votes meant to be distributed amongst its MVA partners. The NCP faction led by Sharad Pawar was supporting Jayant Patil of the Peasants and Workers Party, but its 13 MLAs left it 10 short.
Mr Thackeray’s Sena put up one candidate too, despite being eight votes short. Overall the MVA was four votes short of winning all three, if the Congress’ extra votes were to be cast in favour of its allies.
The key was always going to be the votes cast by those outside – two MLAs each from Akhilesh Yadav’s Samajwadi Party and Asaduddin Owaisi’s AIMIM, a lone CPIM leader, and an independent.
Even then, that is only six additional votes. This would not have been enough for either the Mahayuti or MVA to win each of the seats it was contesting, which suggests there may have been cross-voting.
Ahead of voting by the legislators, there had been fear of horse-trading and poaching, prompting a round of resort politics that has become a standard feature of the Indian electoral landscape.
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