11 elected unopposed to legislative council

The election to the seats falling vacant owing to expiry of terms of 11 members of the upper house had been scheduled for July 25.

The Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee decided to play safe and fielded only three candidates considering the 82 MLAs in the lower house — each MLC candidate needs 25 first-preference MLA votes — as it was evident that some independent MLAs would vote for the PWP’s Jayant Patil.

“The arithmetic was clear. Fielding a fourth candidate could have endangered one of the three candidates already announced,” said a senior Congressman. A total of 25 first-preference votes of MLAs are needed for a candidate to be elected.

The Shiv Sena regained its loss of a candidate in the 2006 elections with the party having nominated two candidates,former MLA and MLC Anil Parab and former MLA Vinayak Raut,although only one MLC seat of the party,that of Parshuram Uparkar,is set to fall vacant. Parab and Raut filed their nominations on Saturday. Former BJP corporator in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation Ashish Shelar and former BJP minister Vijay Girkar will be the new members of the party,replacing outgoing MLCs Pasha Patel and Keshav Mankar.

Former Assembly Speaker Arun Gujarathi and Usha Darade are the outgoing NCP MLCs. The death of RPI leader Preetam Shegaonkar who was elected MLC under the NCP quota meant the party had to nominate three new members. Former city unit president of the party Jaidev Gaikwad,Narendra Patil (son of Late Annasaheb Patil,the leader of Mathadi labourers) and Amarsingh Pandit will be the new MLCs of the party.

The Congress had on Friday announced the names of Manikrao Thakre,Sanjay Dutt,and Sharad Ranpise. Outgoing Congress MLC Rajan Teli was left out.

In 2006,Telli who was backed by Industries Minister Narayan Rane had won with the highest number of votes.

His victory had been attributed to cross-voting in the Sena that led to the defeat of a Sena candidate.