Maharashtra MLC polls: Two candidates every of Shiv Sena and NCP, 4 of BJP win seats

By PTI

MUMBAI: Two candidates every of the ruling coalition allies NCP and the Shiv Sena and 4 nominees of the opposition BJP on Monday nigh gained elections to the Maharashtra Legislative Council (MLC), mentioned an official.

All the eight candidates secured the minimal quota of 26 votes every to make it to the Upper House of the state legislature, mentioned the official.

Chairman of Legislative Council and NCP candidate Ramraje Nimbalkar, Leader of Opposition within the Upper House Pravin Darekar of the BJP and former BJP minister and now NCP nominee Eknath Khadse simply bagged enough variety of first choice votes to put up wins.

The ultimate vote tally shall be introduced when all of the rounds of counting is over, the official mentioned.

Both the candidates of the Shiv Sena — Sachin Ahir and Aamshya Padavi – additionally gained the election, whereas the 2 nominees of the Congress, which is a part of the ruling coalition MVA, did not safe the minimal quota of the primary choice vote.

The BJP had fielded 5 candidates – Darekar, Ram Shinde, Uma Khapre, Shrikant Bharatiya and Prasad Lad – of which the primary 4 have already bagged the minimal quota of votes required to win the ballot.

BJP MLA Atul Bhatkhalkar mentioned, “Darekar secured 29 votes of first preference, while Ram Shinde and Bharatiya secured 30 votes of first preference each. It means, our excess votes of top three candidates on the list will be transferred to our fifth candidate Prasad Lad.”

“If you count all the votes of first preference to the BJP candidates, we have won 133 votes. It means, we have won more votes than we secured in the Rajya Sabha elections (held on June 10),” he mentioned. The BJP has 106 MLAs within the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, whereas remaining votes for its candidates have both come from unbiased MLAs, or these from small events or from different events.

Voting for the elections to 10 vacant MLC seats was held between 9 am and 4 pm on the Legislature Complex in south Mumbai. In all, 11 candidates – 5 of the BJP and two every of the Sena, the NCP and the Congress had been within the fray.

The counting of votes started after a two-hour delay at round 7 pm.