Cong, NCP tie-up for polls to 5 Maha Council seats next month

The opposition Congress and NCP in Maharashtra have joined hands to contest the Legislative Council elections in five Graduates and Teachers constituencies scheduled on February 3.
State Congress chief Ashok Chavan told reporters here today that his party will contest the graduate constituencies of Amravati and Nashik and the teachers constituency of Nagpur, while NCP will contest the Aurangabad teachers seat. The party has decided to give Konkan teachers seat from its quota to Peasants and Workers Party (PWP).
Chavan said during a meeting with party leaders of the state today, they will discuss and formulate strategy for the 26 zilla parishad and 10 municipal corporation polls, also slated next month.

Congress Mumbai unit president Sanjay Nirupam has conveyed his stand regarding alliance with NCP which will be discussed in the party leaders' meeting, he said.
Chavan accused the ruling allies Shiv Sena and BJP of portraying a misleading picture of friction between them.
"Infact, they are one," he claimed.

A notification for these biennial elections was issued on January 10. Last date of filing papers is tomorrow and scrutiny will be held on January 18. The last date for withdrawal of nominations is January 20. Polling will take place from 8 AM to 4 PM on February 3. Counting of votes will be held on February 6.

The members who retired from the five constituencies on December 5 last year are - NCP's Vikram Kale (Aurangabad division- teachers), BJP's Minister of State for Home and Urban Development Ranjit Patil (Amravati division- graduates), Congress's Sudhir Tambe (Nashik division- graduates), and Independents Nago Pundalik Ganar (Nagpur division- teachers) and Ramnath Mote (Konkan division- teachers).
The biennial elections to these five constituencies could not take place within the prescribed time due to the order of Supreme Court on January 12 last year directing for preparation of electoral rolls for all graduate and teachers constituencies afresh before elections.
The Congress had earlier declared Sanjay Khodke for Amravati graduates constituency and retained the name of Sudhir Tambe for Nashik graduates seat.

BJP has retained the candidature of Ranjit Patil for Amravati graduates seat, Satish Patki for Aurangabad teachers and is supporting sitting MLC Nago Ganar for Nagpur teachers and Venunath Kadu for Konkan teachers seats.