Union HM Amit Shah likely to address BJP meeting in Pune on July 14

Union Home Minister and senior BJP leader Amit Shah is likely to address a party meeting in Pune on July 14 ahead of the Maharashtra assembly elections, the party's state unit chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule said here on Saturday. Speaking to reporters, he said, "Nearly 4,500 party functionaries will attend a meeting of the BJP in Pune. We have requested Amit Shah to address the meeting and he has agreed to come to Pune. The meeting will be crucial ahead of Maharashtra assembly elections."

The assembly elections are likely to be held in October this year. When asked about the Maharashtra legislative council polls scheduled next month, Bawankule said, "The names will be finalised either today or tomorrow. I am sure that our central parliamentary board will finalise some good names that will be beneficial for the state."

"The BJP would like to have the chairperson post of the state legislative council, but we will discuss it with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and other 11 parties that form the NDA," Bawankule said. The voting, if necessary, will take place on July 12 for the 11 MLC seats.

The biennial elections to the 11 seats from the MLA quota will be a crucial test for the ruling Mahayuti and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) ahead of the assembly elections to be held later this year.