NCP state chief elected unopposed to Maharashtra council

Maharashtra Nationalist Congress Party president Sunil Tatkare was Thursday declared elected unopposed to state legislative council after Congress nominee Mohan Joshi withdrew from the race.

The development came a day after a late-night meeting between the NCP chief Sharad Pawar and Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, and a week before the crucial seat-sharing talks between the two parties scheduled Aug 20 in New Delhi.

Although the Congress had sufficient numbers to get Joshi elected, it chose to back out of the contest in favour of Tatkare owing to compulsion of alliance politics and the upcoming assembly elections.

"I am a loyal soldier of the party and shall fulfil its orders. The decision was taken by the CM and NCP chief," Joshi told media later.

The seat fell vacant after Shiv Sena member Vinayak Raut resigned following his election to Lok Sabha from Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg constituency. Raut had defeated sitting MP Nilesh Rane, son of Industry Minister Narayan Rane.

The NCP staked claim as the state Congress President Manikrao Thakre is also a member of the legislative council which afford more time for campaigning in the forthcoming elections.

With Tatkare's election, the NCP increased its tally in the 78-member upper house to 29, against the Congress' 22, BJP's 11 and Shiv Sena's six. There are seven Independents and three members from other parties.