As the three parties prepare to contest this election, there are signs of a tug-of-war, say political observers
Mumbai: The Mahayuti is said to have finalised a 3-1-1 ( BJP -Shiv Sena- NCP ) seat-sharing formula for MLC polls. In the Amravati teachers constituency, independent MLC Kiran Sarnaik has joined the Shinde Sena and has announced that he will contest the election from the Shinde Sena. He has already announced that he will contest the election from this constituency from BJP.
Party functionaries said the Sambhajinagar graduates seat will go to NCP, the Amravati teacher constituency seat will go to Sena, the Nagpur graduate constituency seat will go to BJP and the Pune graduate constituency seat is also set to go to BJP. Party functionaries said those candidates who are interested in the elections have already worked to register voters. Political observers said NCP is trying to get Pratap Mane from Kolhapur to fight this poll. There is also a large number of aspirants for Pune teachers constituency,” an observer said.
However, there is a tug-of-war between BJP and Shiv Sena over the Pune teachers’ constituency seat. However, there is a tiff in the Mahayuti over the Pune teacher’s constituency seat. The seats going to the polls comprise three graduates’ constituencies — Aurangabad division, Pune division, and Nagpur division — and two teachers’ constituencies — Amravati division and Pune division. However, all eyes are now on whether the Mahayuti will contest the five seats together or whether the three parties will fight separately. As the three parties prepare to contest this election, there are signs of a tug-of-war, say political observers. On the other hand, there is a possibility of coordination within the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). There is no retiring MLC from the BJP or Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena. However, BJP also claims this constituency. If the MahaYuti fights these polls together, this seat can go to the Shinde Sena. At the same time,NCP has also staked claim to this constituency. “There is little chance of a consensus on whether this seat will go to the BJP or the NCP if there is an alliance in the MahaYuti.
In the Pune Graduates constituency MLC Arun Lad is with the NCP (SP), but his son Sharad Lad joined the BJP last year.