Facing strong opposition from its ruling partner Shiv Sena, the Bharatiya Janata Party was forced not to nominate former Shiv Sena leader and chief minister Narayan Rane in the by-election to the Maharashtra Legislative Council slated for December 7.
Facing strong opposition from its ruling partner Shiv Sena, the Bharatiya Janata Party was forced not to nominate former Shiv Sena leader and chief minister Narayan Rane in the by-election to the Maharashtra Legislative Council slated for December 7.
BJP has now given candidature to a businessman turned politician and former NCP leader Prasad Lad who is now being pitted against Congress nominee and former legislator Dilip Mane who comes from Solapur. BJP spokespersons Madhav Bhandari and Shaina NC were two others whose names were doing the rounds for party’s nomination but BJP has picked up Lad who enjoys wide-ranging contacts has deep pockets.
BJP preferred to take one step backward and not to make Rane’s nomination a prestige issue ahead of crucial Gujarat assembly election not to displease Shiv Sena but to keep it in good humour. BJP realises that Shiv Sena’s support is necessary for the survival of the state government. Rane had recently deserted Congress to form his own outfit and extend support to NDA. He was making unilateral announcements that his ministerial berth in the Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis led the council of ministers was a matter of few days.
This is despite Shiv Sena stepping up its criticism against BJP and the party led government on a number of issues including farmers’ plight, delays in the implementation of much ambitious crop loan waiver scheme, deteriorating law and order in some parts of Maharashtra and implementation of Mumbai Metro rail project and Mumbai Nagpur expressway.
Lad, who had contested as an independent, had lost to Congress nominee Bhai Jagtap in the election to the state council held in December 2015.
Lad, in the same election where corporators from BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation were to elect members of legislative councils, had managed to win 55 votes. That had led to the speculation that BJP was supporting NCP rebel Lad’s candidature to ensure the Congress candidate’s defeat. Lad then had thanked Fadnavis accepting his defeat with humility.
Congress has already declared that it has a backing of NCP and other smaller parties. However, Congress party’s move to seek Shiv Sena’s support to give a united fight against BJP did not materialise after Shiv Sena’s refusal. Congress party however, will have to keep a close eye to avoid cross-voting.
In the 288 members Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, the BJP has 122 legislators while Shiv Sena has 63. On the other hand, Congress and NCP have 42 and 41 members respectively, the Peasants & Workers Party 3, Bahujan Vikas Aghadi 3, the All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul Muslimeen 2, Rashtriya Samaj Paksh, CPM, MNS and Samajwadi Party one each. There are eight independents. The BJP enjoys support of four independent legislators
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