A representative image of a person casting vote.
Credit: PTI File Photo
Mumbai: In what would be the next big task for the ruling BJP-led Maha Yuti (NDA) and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (I.N.D.I.A. bloc), the two diametrically-opposite alliances are facing elections to 15 seats of the Maharashtra Legislative Council.
While the elections to four graduate/teachers seats scheduled to be held on 26 June, the Election Commission on Tuesday announced the schedule for the biennial elections for 11 seats of Maharashtra Legislative Council, the electoral college for which is Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.
The elections to 11 seats would be held on 12 July.
These elections are happening in the run up to the elections to Vidhan Sabha polls expected around October 2024.
With the MVA winning 31 of the 48 Lok Sabha seats and the BJP-led alliance settling for 17, these two elections to fill up vacancies in Council are going to be fierce and high-voltage campaigning has commenced.
The 11 retiring members four are from the BJP, two from the Congress while the NCP, Shiv Sena, Shiv Sena (UBT), Peasants and Workers Party, and Rashtriya Samaj Party have one each.
The 11 members are returning on 27 July.
The strength of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly is 288, however, because of resignations and deaths, there are few vacancies.
Given the current political arithmetic, numbers are heavy on the side of BJP and allies, however, in changed circumstances after the Lok Sabha polls, things could be different.
A large section of BJP workers are blaming Ajit Pawar-led NCP for the electoral setback in Maharashtra - which has also been endorsed by a section of RSS.
Credit: Special Arrangement
The legislators of Ajit Pawar-led NCP and Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena too are unhappy as the Cabinet expansion has not taken place besides the posts of chairpersons/presidents of state-owned corporations are still vacant.
Of the 78 seats of the Maharashtra Legislative Council, 21 are vacant.
These include the 12 vacancies of Governor-appointed quota.
In the House, the BJP has 22 members, Shiv Sena (undivided) has 11 members, NCP (undivided) 9, Congress 8.
The JD (U), Peasants and Workers Party, and Rashtriya Samaj Paksha have one member each while four are independents.