Congress backs Uddhav Sena candidate for Legislative Council elections

The Congress officially announced here on Thursday that it would support Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena candidate Ambadas Danve for the Maharashtra Legislative Council elections despite having initial reservations for not being informed in advance by the Sena.

The decision was announced after hectic parleys with the Congress top brass in Delhi who were contacted by Uddhav Thackeray, along with a marathon meeting between Congress and Sena leaders in Mumbai. The Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) has backed the move.

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Consequently, elections for nine seats to the Legislative Council are certain to be held unopposed, since no party has fielded a tenth candidate.

Although three independent candidates have filed their applications, their applications are certain to be rejected because they do not have the signatures of at least 10 Legislative Assembly MLAs as nominees.

Announcing the Congress decision, Maharashtra Regional Congress Committee President Harshwardhan Sapkal said, “Today, a Shiv Sena delegation came to meet us. Earlier, we had expressed our opinion that Uddhav Thackeray should fight this election and we had decided to back him. But he has decided to sacrifice his post, just like Sonia Gandhi sacrificed the PM’s post.

“The BJP has adopted an anti-constitutional position. The BJP’s position is against Phule, Shahu and Ambedkar, which is why we fought against them. Sharad Pawar was sent to the Rajya Sabha. Everyone’s position was that Uddhav Thackeray should go to the Legislative Council. However, he took a position that he will not go back to the Legislative Council. We consider the decision taken by him as the decision of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). Therefore, Ambadas Danve will file his nomination papers as the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) candidate,” Sapkal said.

According to sources, the Congress will claim one of the two seats in the forthcoming Rajya Sabha and Legislative Council election, while one seat in the Legislative Council will be given to the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena group. Uddhav Thackeray has accepted the condition set by the Congress, according to sources. It is also being speculated that Uddhav Thackeray-led Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut could face difficulties due to the condition set by the Congress, which has demanded a Rajya Sabha seat.

While the Opposition MVA announced Ambadas Danve as its Legislative Council candidate, the BJP-led Mahayuti ruling alliance parties also announced their nominees.

The BJP nominated Sunil Vinayak Karjatkar, Madhavi Naik, Sanjay Natthuji Bhende, Vivek Bipindada Kolhe and Pramod Shantaram Jathar besides Pradnya Rajeev Satav for a separate byelection to be conducted for the vacancy caused by Pradnya Satav’s resignation as a Congress MLC. Her term was originally to end on July 27, 2030, but she chose to switch her allegiance to the BJP.

All six candidates filed their papers in the presence of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.