Maharashtra MLC polls: Shiv Sena (UBT) to contest three seats, Congress one

Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole had expressed displeasure over Uddhav Thackeray 'unilaterally' announcing Sena (UBT) candidates for the upcoming Council elections

A day after the Congress accused Uddhav Thackeray of unilaterally announcing his party's candidates for the upcoming Maharashtra Legislative Council polls, the two parties finalised the deal on Wednesday with the Shiv Sena (UBT) deciding to contest three out of four seats, while the grand old party will fight one.

The biennial elections to four legislative council seats- Mumbai Graduates' constituency, Konkan Graduates' constituency, Mumbai Teachers' constituency and Nashik Teachers' constituency - became necessary as the terms of sitting members are expiring in July. Voting will be held on June 26 and results will be declared on July 1. Today was the last date of withdrawal of applications. As per the seat-sharing deal finalised by the two Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) constituents, the Shiv Sena (UBT) will contest Mumbai Graduates' constituency, Mumbai Teachers' constituency and Nashik Teachers' constituency, while the Congress will fight the Konkan Graduates' constituency. Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole on Tuesday expressed displeasure over Uddhav Thackeray 'unilaterally' announcing Sena (UBT) candidates for the upcoming Council elections in the Konkan Graduates' and Nashik Teachers' constituencies, demanding their withdrawal from the race. "Uddhav Thackeray announced the candidates for the Konkan Graduates' and Nashik Teachers' constituencies without holding any discussions with us. We expected that the candidates and seats will be finalised only after holding deliberations with (Maha Vikas Aghadi) constituents," Patole told reporters.

On Wednesday, Thackeray held a press conference, in which he maintained that there were no differences in the opposition MVA comprising the Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress and the NCP (SP) led by Sharad Pawar, over candidates for the upcoming state legislative council polls to four constituencies.

"There is no difference," he asserted. It is a fact that there was a "loose connection" in the dialogue (among the MVA partners), Thackeray said. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said the Congress will contest the Konkan Graduates' constituency and Kishore Jain of the Thackeray-led party has been asked to withdraw from that seat. Congress' Ramesh Keer will contest the Konkan Graduates' constituency. "After discussion among the MVA constituents, it was decided that the Congress will withdraw nomination from the Nashik Teachers and Mumbai Graduates constituencies," Raut said. For the Mumbai Teachers' constituency, J M Abhyankar of the Shiv Sena (UBT), Shivnath Darade (supported by BJP), Subhash More (Shikshak Bharti) and Shivajirao Nalawade (NCP) are in the fray.

The Mumbai Graduates' constituency will see a contest between Anil Parab of the Shiv Sena (UBT) and Kiran Shelar of the BJP.

The Nashik Teachers' constituency will witness a fight between Sandeep Gulave of the Shiv Sena (UBT), Kishor Darade (Shiv Sena), Mahendra Bhavsar (NCP) and Vivek Kolhe (independent). The candidates for the Konkan Graduates' constituency are Ramesh Keer of the Congress and Niranjan Davkhare of the BJP.