NAGPUR, DECEMBER 22: The Sena-BJP combine on Wednesday fielded the high-profile Independent member Anil Gote as its candidate for the post of Deputy Speaker in the Lower House. The polls are scheduled to be held on Thursday.Gote is pitted against senior Congress leader and former minister Pramod Shende, the candidate nominated by the Congress-led Democratic Front for the coveted post.While the Sena-BJP alliance is hoping for a `miracle' banking on the discontent among the members of the Democratic Front, members of the ruling alliance expressed confidence. ``We know our strength. We will repeat our performance in Thursday's election. While we won the Speaker's post by a margin of 12 votes, Shende will win by even bigger margin,'' a senior Congress minister said.The minister claimed that despite the discontent, particularly in the Vidarbha region, the elections will be smooth sailing for the DF nominee. However, in the same breathe, he added that in the event of Shende's defeated, there is no need forthe government to resign. ``The government will have to resign only if the money bill is defeated,'' the minister added.Elaborating on the support base for Gote, a senior Sena leader claimed that legislators from the Vidarbha region and nearly all the Independent legislators will extend their support to Gote. ``No doubt, we were badly matched on the Speaker's election, but this time I am sure, we will win,'' he added.The Congress-led DF has 150 members in the House of 287, while Sena-BJP has 125 members and 12 Independents.Meanwhile, Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh had a prolonged meeting with constituents of the front to discuss the strategy for Thursday's elections. ``The Cabinet members have been given the responsibility of garnering support of five to seven legislators,'' a NCP minister said.Similar meeting was held by the Opposition too. The Sena is trying to rope in a group of Independent legislators led by Harshavardhan Patil, who was unceremoniously removed from the Cabinet within twodays of his swearing-in. According to a Sena leader, Patil has a support of six Independent legislators.
