BJP candidate pulls out of council race

After the BJP candidate’s withdrawal from the race for two seats of the Legislative Council in Mumbai, Congress, NCP and Sena candidates have been left standing in the contest. Though NCP has disowned its candidate Prasad Lad, he poses a threat to Congress candidate Bhai Jagtap. Shiv Sena candidate Ramdas Kadam could secure his win with votes from Sena as well as BJP.

BJP candidate Manoj Kotak withdrew his nomination from the polls on the last day of the withdrawal.

This has brought relief for the Sena, whose leader Kadam is the only candidate in the ring from the saffron alliance.

On the other hand, Congress has fielded Bhai Jagtap with the support of the NCP. But NCP leader Prasad Lad is also in the race and the NCP has termed him a ‘non-official’ candidate. But there is a possibility NCP corporators will vote for Lad, making it difficult for Jagtap to gather the 76 votes required to win.

The council polls are scheduled for December 27. Mumbai seats will be elected from among the members of the municipal corporation. The candidates will need at least 76 votes to win the polls. At present, of the 227 seats in the House, Sena has a majority with 75 corporators; BJP has 31 corporators, Congress 52, Samajwadi Party 29, independents 28, MNS 27 and NCP only seven.

In the rest of the state, Congress rebels in Solapur and Akola-Washim-Buldhana local body seats have withdrawn from the fray for the December 27 biennial elections to the Maharashtra Legislative Council. Former Congress MLA Dilip Mane withdrew his nomination in Solapur while Shyam Rathi backed out in Akola-Washim-Buldhana.

In Kolhapur, former minister Prakash Awade, who had filed papers as an independent, also backed out, party sources said. However, Jayant Sasane, another former Congress MLA, could not withdraw his nomination in Ahmednagar because he reached late.