Today in Politics: All eyes on Mahayuti vs MVA battle Round 2 as cross-voting fears loom over MLC polls

The Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has fielded former MPs Bhavana Gawli and Krupal Tumane while the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led by Deputy CM Ajit Pawar has nominated Shivajirao Garje and Rajesh Vitekar for these MLC polls.

While the ruling Mahayuti’s constituents include the BJP, Shinde Sena and Ajit NCP, the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) comprises the Congress, Sharad Pawar-led NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) and Uddhav Sena.

From the MVA camp, the Congress has renominated sitting MLC Pradnya Satav while Jayant Patil of the Peasants and Workers Party (PWP) is seeking reelection with the backing of the NCP(SP).

The polls will be held in a preferential voting system with each candidate requiring 23 votes to win. With the strength of the Maharashtra Assembly reduced to 274 from 288 — for reasons such as MLAs getting elected to the Lok Sabha, death and suspension — the ruling coalition will be on its toes to keep its MLAs together. The BJP has 103 MLAs, Shinde Sena 38, NCP 42, Congress 37, Uddhav Sena 15 and NCP (SP) 10. There are 13 Independent MLAs. The results will also be announced on Friday itself.

With the support of Independents, the BJP may have a strength of 111 MLAs. It means the party would require four more votes to ensure the victory of all five of its candidates. The Shinde Sena claims to have the support of two legislators from the Prahar Janashakti Party and seven Independents, which could take its tally to 47. That would be enough to ensure the victory of its two candidates. The Ajit NCP claims it has the support of two Independents, indicating it would be five short of the numbers required to win both seats.

In the MVA bloc, the Congress’s number is enough for the party to win one seat, leaving 14 votes that could see Narvekar, whose party Sena (UBT) has 15 MLAs, go past the finish line. However, there are reports of discontent among three Congress MLAs.

The NCP (SP) has 13 MLAs and for the PWP to win, it would need all those votes; the support of smaller parties such as Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (three MLAs), AIMIM and Samajwadi Party (two MLAs each), and CPI(M) (one MLA); and votes from across the aisle.

In context: Two years ago, the MLC polls threw up surprising results, among which was the loss of the Congress’s Chandrakant Handore. Soon afterwards, it was followed by the fall of the MVA government as Shinde led a rebellion against then CM Uddhav that split the Sena, as Alok Deshpande reports.

This time, the shoe appears to be on the other foot as the Mahayuti is facing the heat and the MVA is hoping to ensure the victory of all three of its candidates.

Ahead of the elections, parties started ferrying their MLAs to hotels in a bid to avoid cross-voting. Both Shinde and Ajit on Wednesday held a meeting with their respective MLAs. The BJP MLAs met with party in-charge Bhupendra Yadav at party headquarters while the Sena (UBT) MLAs gathered at Hotel ITC Grand Central. The Congress MLAs met at Hotel Intercontinental on Thursday.

With Assembly polls set to be held in the next three months and the ruling side having suffered a blow in the Lok Sabha polls in Maharashtra, the buoyed MVA alliance hopes to win an extra third seat with a little help from some Mahayuti MLAs who may switch back to either Uddhav Sena or Sharad Pawar NCP.

Recommended reading: Social engineering at work: Among BJP’s 5 picks for MLC polls, 3 OBCs, Maratha and Dalit faces

None of 12 candidates withdraw nominations for MLC polls

Polls and prestige at stake, Ajit Pawar the devotee and pilgrim takes shape
SC to hear plea on Hathras stampede

The Supreme Court on Friday will hear a petition that has sought the appointment of a five-member expert committee under the supervision of a retired apex court judge to probe the Hathras stampede incident which claimed 121 lives.

The plea, filed by advocate Vishal Tiwari, has also sought a direction to the Uttar Pradesh government to submit a status report on the July 2 incident and to initiate legal action against officials and others for their negligent conduct.

The petition has also sought a direction to all the state governments to submit a status of medical facilities available from the block/tehsil to the district level to deal with stampede incidents.

The stampede occurred in Hathras after over 2.5 lakh devotees gathered in the district’s Phulrai village for the “satsang” conducted by Baba Narayan Hari, who is also known as Saakar Vishwa Hari Bhole Baba.

HC order on Bibhav bail plea

The Delhi High Court would on Friday pronounce its order on the bail plea of CM and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal’s aide Bibhav Kumar in the case pertaining to alleged assault on AAP MP Swati Maliwal.

Senior counsel for the police had opposed the bail plea saying an investigation is ongoing and a chargesheet would be filed on or before July 16. “On or before July 16, we will file the charge sheet. We are in the midst of investigation,” said senior advocate Sanjay Jain representing the police.

Kumar, currently in judicial custody, allegedly assaulted Maliwal on May 13 at Kejriwal’s official residence and was arrested on May 18. An FIR was registered against him on May 16 under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including those related to criminal intimidation, assault or criminal force on a woman with the intent to disrobe, and attempt to commit culpable homicide.

The Tis Hazari court had on June 7 refused to grant bail to Kumar, saying he was facing “grave and serious” charges and that there was an apprehension that he could influence witnesses.

BJP protest against MUDA ‘scam’

Karnataka BJP would hold a “mega” protest in Mysuru on Friday against an alleged fraudulent allotment of sites by the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA), which involves plots given to CM Siddaramaiah’s wife Parvathi, state BJP president B Y Vijayendra said.

“We will demand allocation of sites to the poor by withdrawing those distributed illegally, and a CBI probe into the ‘scam’ as the allegations are against the Chief Minister and his family,” he said.

It is alleged that compensatory sites were allotted to Siddaramaiah’s wife in an upmarket area in Mysuru, which had higher property value as compared to the location of her land which had been “acquired” by the MUDA.

– With PTI inputs