MLC polls: As BJP stakes claim on Pune, NCP fights to retain hold after Ajit Pawar’s demise
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has declared elections for 16 seats of Maharashtra Legislative Council to be elected by the councilors of local body authority. The polling is scheduled on June 18 and results will be declared by June 25.
While Pune has been a stronghold of the NCP, the BJP trying to establish its hold in the district after the demise of former NCP chief Ajit Pawar(Pictured). (File Photo)
With the BJP staking claim on the Legislative Council seat from Pune, the NCP has not relented to its alliance partner’s demand saying the party still holds control over the district and it has the maximum number of representatives elected in the local bodies.
While Pune has been a stronghold of the NCP, the BJP trying to establish its hold in the district after the demise of former NCP chief Ajit Pawar.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has declared elections for 16 seats of Maharashtra Legislative Council to be elected by the councilors of local body authority. The polling is scheduled on June 18 and results will be declared by June 25.
BJP leader Ganesh Bidkar said that the BJP has the maximum number of elected representatives in the various Pune local authorities so it was natural that the party will contest the elections of state legislative council seat from Pune.
“The local unit of BJP is insisting the senior party leaders to contest the seat and the party has many contenders,” said Bidkar adding he too was keen to contest the election and make it to the state legislative body.
In response, city NCP chief Sunil Tingre said, “We are going to contest the election of state legislative council in a pre-poll alliance of Mahayuti. Our claim on the seat is strong.”
He said the BJP leaders have been presenting incorrect details on electoral rolls for the legislative council elections just to stake their claim on the seat.
“The BJP leaders say that there are 798 voters for the legislative council election from Pune local authority. However, the total voter strength is 867 as per the electoral roll published by the election office. The NCP is heading 10 of the 13 Panchayat Samiti, 11 of the 18 Nagar Parishad. Of the total 867 voters, the NCP has 371 elected representatives in the local body authorities,” said Tingre adding the BJP strength is less than that of NCP.
“The claim on the seat is of NCP and it is our party which will lead the Pune district,” he said, adding that he himself along with Deepak Mankar, VIlas Lande, Yogesh Behl, Nana Kate, Bhausaheb Bhoir, Sandeep Waghere, Suresh Ghule, Dilip Mohite Patil and Ramesh Thorat are among the aspirants for the party ticket to contest the election.
The city NCP chief said it was wrong for the BJP leaders to create unnecessary issues for contesting election for the Pune seat. “The NCP has always cooperated with other parties in the alliance. We expect the alliance partner BJP should also cooperate with us over the seat to contest the election of state legislative council,” he said.
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