It’s pouring ‘incentives’ day before council polls

With number calculations dicey a day before the polls for the Maharashtra legislative council, it’s raining ‘incentives’ for independent members and representatives of smaller political parties.

From fast-tracking clearance of projects to dinner diplomacy to allegedly offering money, major political parties have swung into action to garner the numbers to see their candidates through.

The enticement is different in different cases. “In my case, they promised to clear a development project worth Rs150 crore in my constituency,” said a senior independent legislator who was approached by a Congress leader. The lawmaker said he had been pursuing the matter for two years.

The happy news came last week. “The condition was that I should pledge my support to Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) candidates,” he said.

Some members of the opposition, which is not in a position to promise projects, have been discreetly talking about cash incentives, said a legislator.

“I was approached by two candidates from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the NCP. I am weighing the pros and cons,” he said.

Some independents are bargaining for plum organisational posts. In one case, a leader seems to have promised the Congress the support of six MLAs if he is given a good position in the party.    

Minister Ashok Chavan, who has to ensure the victory of three official candidates — Hussain Dalwai, Dipti Chaudhuri, Sanjay Dutt — and one independent, Vijay Sawant, has already sent emissaries to elicit the support of fence-sitters.

In the last 48 hours, he was busy clearing files at his official residence in Malabar Hill.

The independents, normally ignored in mainstream political activities, are enjoying their moment under the sun. They account for 24 votes.

Together with the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (13 members) and the Republican Left Democratic Front (RLFD, 16), they make a potent vote bank for the council polls.

This group will decide the fate of at least one candidate each of the Congress, the NCP, the Shiv Sena and the BJP.

“We have reports about a Shiv Sena leader approaching four NCP MLAs for support. It shows how desperate every candidate is in the council,” said a general secretary of the NCP. A senior leader in the RLFD said, “One of my MLAs was approached with Rs30 lakh.

The candidate himself was cautious enough not to talk to any member directly.” In politics everybody knows who is resourceful and how much to expect, he added.

There are 11 candidates in the council polls for ten seats. Each candidate requires the support of 27 members to win.

The Congress (82) can get all three official candidates on its own.

But for the independent Vijay Sawant, it needs to muster 27 votes.

Till now, 16 independents have given assurance to Chavan.

Sawant had declared asset of a whopping Rs442 crore in his affidavit while filing the nomination.

The BJP with 46 members is going to back senior leader Shobatai Fadnavis. She has been sanctioned 27 votes. It means the second candidate, Dhananjay Munde, nephew of senior leader Gopinath Munde, will have to manage the additional eight votes.

Munde, who has friends among RLFD and MNS, is seeking their help.

The NCP finds itself in a critical position as it falls short of 19 votes to get its third candidate, Prakash Bhinsale, elected. The NCP with 62 votes can manage victory for its former state minister Ramraje Nimbalkar and vice president Vinayak Mete.

Home minister RR Patil and deputy chief minister Chhagan Bhujbal are also using political ploy to get rivals’ support for Bhinsale.

Sena (45) can easily ensure a win for senior leader Diwakar Raote but Anil Parab will fall short of nine votes. Sources said, “Sena is also hunting for votes with lucrative packages.”