Mumbai: Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray’s election to the Maharashtra Legislative Council is now a mere formality with the Election Commission’s announcement of the poll schedule for 9 seats of the upper house. The schedule was announced within 24 hours of the Governor sending a letter to the EC to that effect.
The elections will be held after 21 days and before May 27. This has given a much-needed breather to Thackeray. MVA and BJP sources hinted that there will be unopposed election in the nine seats, in view of the party wise numbers.
The nine seats of the upper house will be filled from 288 members of the Legislative Assembly. The Maha Vikas Aghadi has 170 MLAs — Shiv Sena (56), NCP (54), Congress (44) and smaller parties and independents 16.
On the other hand, the BJP has 105 MLAs and enjoys the support of seven independents. Considering the equation, a quota of 29 will be needed. So, MVA constituents can win five seats two will go to Shiv Sena and NCP and one to Congress. The BJP will bag the remaining four.
Both the MVA and the BJP have indicated that nobody is keen on horse trading or shoring up their numbers for contesting more seats than their strength permits. Former Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has even said his party will go in for unopposed election, if it receives a proposal from the MVA.