Mumbai: With the deadline for filing nominations for biennial elections to five seats in the legislative council ending on Tuesday, two seats are likely to witness direct contests between parties within the ruling Mahayuti and opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliances, respectively.
From the Mahayuti, the BJP and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena have both fielded candidates for the Pune teachers’ constituency, while in the Nagpur graduates’ constituency, former BJP MLA Anil Sole has filed his nomination papers, pitting himself against the party’s official candidate Sudhakar Kohale. Similarly, in the MVA, the Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP) have both fielded candidates for the Aurangabad graduates’ constituency. In the Nagpur graduates’ constituency, the BJP has failed to convince its rebel leader, Anil Sole, to withdraw his nomination against the party’s official candidate, Sudhakar Kohale. A similar rift has emerged within the opposition MVA in the Aurangabad graduates’ constituency, where the NCP (SP) has fielded Pratapsinh Patil, while the Shiv Sena (UBT) has fielded Dilip Ghuge. Both parties claimed that discussions within the alliance were underway and the rival candidate would withdraw from the contest. In the Pune teachers’ constituency, the Congress has fielded sitting MLC Jayant Asgaonkar, and senior party leader Satej Patil has taken charge of his poll campaign. Patil faces an emotional challenge as his niece, Smita Jadhav, is the BJP candidate from the same constituency.
“I am sure the BJP candidate, Saurabh Gawade, will withdraw his nomination in my favour,” Chivate said, claiming he was contesting the poll as per directions from his party chief. On Tuesday, the last day for filing nominations, Shiv Sena’s Mangesh Chivate filed his nomination from the Pune teachers’ constituency in the presence of senior party leaders, putting himself against the BJP’s Saurabh Gawade.
