Maharashtra MLC polls: High drama as MVA continues to be in a fix over its Nashik candidate

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut.
| Photo Credit: PTI

High drama ensued on the last day of the withdrawal of nominations for the teachers’ and graduates’ constituency seats, in the upcoming Maharashtra Legislative Council polls on Monday, with the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) still unclear, about backing a candidate for the hotly contested Nashik graduates’ constituency seat.

The elections to the five MLC seats (two graduates’ and three teachers’ constituencies), which are slated for January 30, have again exposed the poor coordination between the three MVA coalition partners (Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), the Congress and Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction) in general, and the raging factionalism within the Maharashtra Congress, in particular.

The Congress was left red-faced after its chosen candidate for Nashik— three-time MLC Sudhir Tambe— withdrew his nomination in defiance of the party high command last week. In lieu of him, his son, Satyajeet Tambe— a former Maharashtra Youth Congress president— announced his candidature as an independent, while stating he would seek the support of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

While the Congress suspended Dr. Sudhir Tambe and started an inquiry to ascertain why he did not fill his nomination form, the party high command on Monday initiated disciplinary proceedings against Mr. Satyajeet Tambe as well, said sources.

Utter confusion

Meanwhile, further confusion prevailed within the MVA over declaring a candidate for the Nashik seat, after the Tambes’ ‘betrayal’.

The seat, initially a preserve of the Congress, has now gone into the Thackeray camp’s kitty. On Sunday, the Shiv Sena (UBT) announced it was supporting Shubhangi Patil for the Nashik seat.

However, today, both Ms. Patil and another candidate— Subhash Jangle— claimed that each had the support of the Sena (UBT) and the MVA to be the Opposition’s candidate.

In Nagpur, too, the NCP had to suspend its candidate— Satish Itkelwar— after the latter refused to withdraw his nomination (in favour of the Congress-backed candidate) on the party’s express command.

“We do not want to talk about the discomfiture of the Congress in Nashik… However, every constituent party in the MVA must take a lesson from this and ensure there is better coordination in the future,” said Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut.

Mr. Raut said that initially, the Nagpur Teachers’ constituency had been left for the Sena (UBT). But, owing to the problem created by the Tambe father-son duo, the Sena (UBT) had to back a candidate in Nashik while the Congress would choose their candidate for Nagpur.

“Each time, such a sacrifice [over seat preference] has to be made by the Sena. However, we will not be doing this every time,” warned Mr. Raut.

Mr. Raut refused to comment on Mr. Satyajeet Tambe, merely remarking that the Sena had decided to support Ms. Patil even as the MVA had yet to formally announce that it was throwing its weight behind her.

Incidentally, Ms. Patil, who had recently joined the BJP, had filed her nomination as an independent with the hope of being officially backed by the saffron party.

Clear stance

Meanwhile, while the BJP has yet to openly express its support for Mr. Satyajeet Tambe, senior BJP leader from Nashik, Girish Mahajan, said that the party would soon make its stance clear on which candidate it was backing for the Nashik seat.

“The decision on this will be made by Devendra Fadnavis and our State president Chandrashekhar Bawankule…as far as Shubhangi Patil’s case is concerned, she had joined our party barely 20 days ago. We had told her not to expect a ticket. Then, she went and met Mr. Thackeray to seek his backing. As far as we are concerned, the BJP has washed its hands off her,” Mr. Mahajan said.