<p>The stage is set for a mega clash between the Maha Vikas Aghadi and BJP in the Maharashtra Legislative Council elections, during which the ruling alliance will try to avenge the humiliating defeat at the hands of the saffron opposition.</p>.<p>Elections are being held for 10 vacancies in the state’s Upper House for which 11 candidates are in the fray.</p>.<p>The MLAs and top leaders of the MVA comprising Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress and opposition BJP had landed in Mumbai and were lodged in four different hotels where tight security arrangements were in place.</p>.<p>The BJP team is camping in the Taj Vivanta in Cuffe Parade.</p>.<p>The NCP members are staying in the Trident at Nariman Point while Shiv Sena and Congress teams are closeted in Westin in Powai and Four Seasons at Worli, respectively.</p>.<p>In the June 10 Rajya Sabha elections, in which 7 candidates are contesting for 6 seats, the BJP and MVA were tied with 3 seats each, but the opposition got an edge when BJP’s Dhananjay Mahadik snatched the victory away from Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Pawar.</p>.<p>The BJP rode on the discontentment among the smaller parties and independents, many of whom supported the opposition despite assurances to the government - giving a huge blow to the MVA.</p>.<p>“A series of team-building exercises and mock drill on voting was held detailing each and every person has to do in the secret preferential voting,” informed sources said.</p>.<p>In the Rajya Sabha polls, there were five objections - while MVA objected to BJP’s Sudhir Mungantiwar and Independent MLA Ravi Rana, the BJP took objection against Jitendra Awhad of NCP, Yashomati Thakur of Congress and Shiv Sena’s Suhas Kande. As a result, the Election Commission of India rendered Kande’s vote invalid, who, however, has now moved the Bombay High Court.</p>.<p>The BJP, which has 106 seats, has fielded five candidates - Pravin Darekar, Prof Ram Shinde, Shrikant Bharatiya, Uma Khapre and Prasad Lad - and can win four easily with its own strength.</p>.<p>The Shiv Sena - which has fielded Sachin Ahir and Amasha Padvi - can easily win two seats with 55 legislators, while the two NCP candidates - Ramraje Naik-Nimbalkar and Eknath Khadse - can bank on its 51 legislators and independents supporting it. However, the Congress party with 44 legislators - whose candidates are Chandrakant Handore and Bhai Jagtap - needs additional votes from Shiv Sena, NCP and independents and smaller parties, to ensure the victory of its two nominees.</p>.<p>The contest is boiling down to a direct contest between Lad and Jagtap, both of them incidentally from Mumbai.</p>.<p>The BJP propping up an additional candidate, both in Rajya Sabha and Council polls, has come as a challenge to the two-and-a-half-year-old ruling alliance. </p>
<p>The stage is set for a mega clash between the Maha Vikas Aghadi and BJP in the Maharashtra Legislative Council elections, during which the ruling alliance will try to avenge the humiliating defeat at the hands of the saffron opposition.</p>.<p>Elections are being held for 10 vacancies in the state’s Upper House for which 11 candidates are in the fray.</p>.<p>The MLAs and top leaders of the MVA comprising Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress and opposition BJP had landed in Mumbai and were lodged in four different hotels where tight security arrangements were in place.</p>.<p>The BJP team is camping in the Taj Vivanta in Cuffe Parade.</p>.<p>The NCP members are staying in the Trident at Nariman Point while Shiv Sena and Congress teams are closeted in Westin in Powai and Four Seasons at Worli, respectively.</p>.<p>In the June 10 Rajya Sabha elections, in which 7 candidates are contesting for 6 seats, the BJP and MVA were tied with 3 seats each, but the opposition got an edge when BJP’s Dhananjay Mahadik snatched the victory away from Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Pawar.</p>.<p>The BJP rode on the discontentment among the smaller parties and independents, many of whom supported the opposition despite assurances to the government - giving a huge blow to the MVA.</p>.<p>“A series of team-building exercises and mock drill on voting was held detailing each and every person has to do in the secret preferential voting,” informed sources said.</p>.<p>In the Rajya Sabha polls, there were five objections - while MVA objected to BJP’s Sudhir Mungantiwar and Independent MLA Ravi Rana, the BJP took objection against Jitendra Awhad of NCP, Yashomati Thakur of Congress and Shiv Sena’s Suhas Kande. As a result, the Election Commission of India rendered Kande’s vote invalid, who, however, has now moved the Bombay High Court.</p>.<p>The BJP, which has 106 seats, has fielded five candidates - Pravin Darekar, Prof Ram Shinde, Shrikant Bharatiya, Uma Khapre and Prasad Lad - and can win four easily with its own strength.</p>.<p>The Shiv Sena - which has fielded Sachin Ahir and Amasha Padvi - can easily win two seats with 55 legislators, while the two NCP candidates - Ramraje Naik-Nimbalkar and Eknath Khadse - can bank on its 51 legislators and independents supporting it. However, the Congress party with 44 legislators - whose candidates are Chandrakant Handore and Bhai Jagtap - needs additional votes from Shiv Sena, NCP and independents and smaller parties, to ensure the victory of its two nominees.</p>.<p>The contest is boiling down to a direct contest between Lad and Jagtap, both of them incidentally from Mumbai.</p>.<p>The BJP propping up an additional candidate, both in Rajya Sabha and Council polls, has come as a challenge to the two-and-a-half-year-old ruling alliance. </p>