Team Blitz India
MUMBAI: After coming of two Congress stalwarts former CM Ashok Chawan and Milind Deora into the NDA fold will change the political equation in Maharashtra. Now, Chawan has been given Rajya Sabha ticket from BJP, the scenario has transformed dramatically. Three Rajya Sabha members from BJP in Maharashtra are Ashok Chawan, Medha Kulkarni and Dr Ajeet Gopchade.
The electoral college for the Rajya Sabha polls is 288-member Maharashtra Legislative Assembly. However, now the strength is 285, because of the deaths of Anil Babar (Shiv Sena) and Govardhan Sharma (BJP), and the disqualification of Sunil Kedar (Congress). As far as the opposition MVA (I.N.D.I.A.) side is concerned, the Congress has 44 MLAs, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) 16 and NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) 11, besides few Independents.
As far as Maha Yuti (NDA) is concerned, the BJP has a bench strength of 104, followed by Ajit Pawar-led NCP 44 and Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena 39, plus support of independents / others.
If one looks at the arithmetic, BJP can easily win three seats and give one seat each to Shinde and Ajit Pawar. The Congress can win one seat easily on its own strength. However, if there are seven or eight candidates for the six seats – there could be surprises. This time, the BJP could target the Congress ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. The political equation in Maharashtra has undergone a significant transformation since the Rajya Sabha polls were held in the state in June, 2022.
On June 10, 2022, when elections to six seats of Rajya Sabha seats were held, the BJP brought an additional candidate and defeated a candidate of the undivided Shiv Sena led by then-CM Uddhav Thackeray, who was heading the MVA Government.
Just 10 days later, on June 20, 2022, a total of 11 candidates were in the fray to fill up 10 vacancies of Maharashtra Legislative Council, however, a Congress candidate lost the polls. This time too BJP brought an additional candidate.
