MLC elections: Thackeray govt in danger zone, BJP gets 134 votes
MUMBAI: The Maharashtra state legislative council elections result put the Uddhav Thackeray government in a danger zone, where the BJP secured 134 votes against the majority of 145 in 288 members of the state assembly. In this election, Maha Vikas Aghadi support base has eroded badly from 169 votes to 151 only.
The Maharashtra state legislative council results were declared late Monday night. Total 285 MLAs had cast their votes while during the counting of two votes each one of BJP and NCP was disqualified due to overwriting the preference numbers.
In MLC elections, BJP secured total 134 votes against 123 in recent Rajyab Sabha elections while Maha Vikas Aghadi’s support base of 169 MLAs shrunk to 151 votes. Maha Vikas Aghadi faced the major setback of cross-voting of its alliance partners MLAs to BJP in this high voltage political election.
According to the MLC elections data, Congress candidates Bahi Jagtap and Chandrakant Handore together got 41 votes against the party’s official 44 votes. It shows three MLAs of the Congress-crossed votes. Shiv Sena also faced humiliation because of the decrease in votes for its both candidates Sachin Ahir and Ameshya Padvi.
Shiv Sena has 55 MLAs after the death of its one MLA Ramesh Latake and it has the support of seven independent and smaller parties. So, Shiv Sena had fixed the 32 votes quota for each candidate but in the result of the election, they got only 26 each votes only. The 26 votes were base numbers to win the elections.
Interestingly, NCP the alliances' partners of the Maha Vikas Aghadi not only succeeded to keep its all flock together but it also secured other parties' and independent MLA's votes for their candidates. NCP had 51 votes but it secured 57 votes. Its one vote was disqualified during the ballot paper scrutiny round. So, NCP additionally bagged eight votes in this election. Its candidate Eknath Khadse secured 29 votes while another nominee Ramraje Nimbalkar got 28 votes. The disqualified vote of NCP was from Nimbalkar's quota.
The major gainer in this election is BJP. In the Maharashtra state assembly, BJP has officially 105 MLAs and the support of seven independent MLAs making a total tally of 112 support bases. But in recent Rajya Sabha elections, BJP secured 123 votes and in MLC elections that tally went up to 134 votes closing to 145 votes majority in the house.
Senior BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar said that Uddhav Thackeray has lost the moral right to remain in the chair of the Chief Minister. “The way all party MLAs supported BJP shows that there is a trust deficit in Maha Vikas Aghadi. The MLAs of Maha Vikas Aghadi are not happy with this jugad government. They wanted to vote this government out and the MLC elections result is a sign. If Uddhav Thackeray was asked to prove the majority of his government, then I am sure, he will lose it badly as Rajya Sabha and MLC elections result,” BJP leader added.
Senior NCP leader said that NCP was able to keep its flock together, but its alliance partners failed. “We as the party are with the people. We always allotted development funds and kept our MLAs in good humour but our alliance partners are distancing from their MLAs. These disgruntled MLAs cross-voted against Maha Vikas Aghadi candidates. If there is no immediate introspection and course corrections, then this Uddhav Thackeray government will lose long. Its days are now numbered. We should read the writing on the wall,” he added.