Nagpur: Elections to nine seats of the Maharashtra Legislative Council, scheduled for May 12, have set off intense political manoeuvring across the state. The contest is expected to be closely watched, shaped by legislative arithmetic and alliance coordination. The Election Commission’s announcement has accelerated backroom negotiations, with candidate selection emerging as the first major test, as per political observers. Based on its current strength in the Assembly, BJP is positioned to secure up to five seats. There is a surge in the number of aspirants, mostly including leaders who missed out on recent Rajya Sabha nominations.The term of nine current members is expiring on May 13. They include four sitting BJP members — chief minister Devendra Fadnavis’ close aide and former mayor Sandip Joshi, Ranjitsinh Mohite-Patil, Dadarao Keche and Sanjay Kenekar. The leadership will have to decide between renominating them or introducing new faces, a choice that could influence internal equations.The broader electoral arithmetic strongly favours the ruling Mahayuti alliance, which includes the BJP, the Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde and NCP (Ajit Pawar). With a combined strength of 228 MLAs, the alliance can comfortably secure eight of the nine seats, given that each candidate requires 28 votes to win.The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), with 46 MLAs, is positioned to secure only one seat with certainty. Winning a second seat would require an additional 10 votes. It appears a difficult proposition with its current numbers, and requires strategic coordination. Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray is among the members whose terms are ending on May 13. On Friday, Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut indicated that the former CM would contest the seat. His party, which has 20 MLAs, is expected to press its claim, but the decision may largely depend on what stance Congress and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP take. Others who are on the verge of exit include deputy chairperson Neelam Gorhe, NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) leader Shashikant Shinde, NCP (AP) Amol Mitkari and Rajesh Rathod, indicating a broader reshaping of the Council’s composition.
