Leaders of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) will meet Monday to decide which candidates to back in the Nashik graduates’ constituency and Nagpur teachers’ constituency polls to the Maharashtra Legislative Council.
“A decision regarding whom to support in Nagpur and Nashik MLC polls will be taken at this afternoon’s meeting by leaders of the Maha Vikas Aghadi,” Shiv Sena chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut told reporters on Monday.
In Nashik, where Congress leader Satyajeet Tambe has rebelled and filed his nomination papers at the last minute, the MVA is likely to support Shubhangi Patil who was seeking nomination from the BJP. However, the BJP did not allow anyone to file nomination papers on its behalf. Patil then filed her papers as an Independent candidate. Two days ago, Patil met Shiv Sena chief (UBT) Uddhav Thackeray who extended the party’s support to her and left it to the MVA to take a final call on the matter.
The BJP, in all probability, will support Satyajeet Tambe who has already said that he will approach the saffron party. The BJP too said it will support Tambe if he approaches them. “If he seeks our support, then we will approach our parliamentary board,” state BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule said.
In Nagpur, the Congress is likely to throw its weight behind Shiv Sena candidate Gangadhar Nakade. Two candidates have filed their nominations on behalf of the MVA. In all, there are at least four candidates who claim that they are supported by the three-party combine. On Monday, NCP’s Satish Itkelwar withdrew from the race.
On Sunday, the Congress suspended its leader Dr Sudhir Tambe pending inquiry. Despite the party giving him the ticket, Tambe did not file his nomination for the Nashik MLC seat. Instead, his son Satyajeet Tambe filed the paper at the last minute in what is seen as a wider gameplan of the BJP. Satyajeet is a former Youth Congress president.
Tariq Anwar, member secretary of the disciplinary committee of the All India Congress Committee (AICC), in a press statement, announced the party’s decision to suspend Dr Sudhir Tambe. On his part, Tambe refused to react. “I will wait for the party’s decision…,” he said.
The MLC election has, meanwhile, created a rift between MVA leaders. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said the MLC poll has shown that there was no effective coordination between MVA leaders. He, however, gave a clean chit to the Shiv Sena. “When we held discussions with Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi chief Prakash Ambedkar regarding a tie-up, we kept the NCP and Congress leaders in the loop. Such coordination is expected from MVA leaders. When we were ruling the state, there was coordination through the common minimum programme. Similar coordination is necessary when we are in the Opposition,” Raut said.
NCP chief Sharad Pawar also said the Congress did not consult them about the Nashik MLC seat. “Had they consulted (we) would have found a way out,” he said in Pune on Sunday.
