Mumbai, April 16 (NationPress) The Election Commission of India declared on Thursday that it will hold biennial elections for nine seats in the Maharashtra Legislative Council, with voting set for May 12. A press release from the Commission indicated that the terms of nine current members will conclude on May 13, prompting the need for these elections.

The members whose terms are expiring include Sanjay Kishanrao Kenekar, Neelam Diwakar Gorhe, Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray, Sandeep Diwakar Joshi, Dadarao Yadavrao Keche, Amol Ramkrushna Mitkari, Ranjitsinh Vijaysinh Mohite-Patil, Rajesh Dhondiram Rathod, and Shashikant Jaywantrao Shinde.

The Commission plans to issue the election notification on April 23, and candidates must submit their nominations by April 30. Scrutiny of nomination papers is set for May 2, while the deadline for candidates to withdraw their nominations is May 4.

Polling, if necessary, will occur on May 12 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with vote counting commencing at 5 p.m. on the same day. The election process is expected to conclude before May 13, the Commission noted.

The Mahayuti coalition boasts a strong surplus of 235 votes, positioning it to win eight of the nine seats—with the BJP anticipated to secure five, Shiv Sena two, and NCP one. Currently, the MVA coalition, which includes Shiv Sena (UBT) with 20 MLAs, Congress with 16, and NCP(SP) with 10, can elect one candidate, provided there is no cross-voting or defection. A candidate requires 29 first-preference votes to win in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly based on the current composition.

Political conversations revolve around whether Uddhav Thackeray, the leader of Shiv Sena (UBT) and former Chief Minister, will pursue another term in the Upper House. The Congress party has claimed one seat.

Vijay Wadettiwar, leader of the Congress Legislative Party, stated that the MVA partners, including Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP(SP), should allow Congress to take the seat as a gesture for supporting Sharad Pawar in the Rajya Sabha elections. Historically, the Thackeray family has avoided running in direct elections, a trend that shifted in 2019 when Aaditya Thackeray won the Worli Assembly seat, marking the first family member to take on a public representative role.

Following the 2019 Assembly elections, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition was established, and Uddhav Thackeray became Chief Minister without holding a seat in either House of the legislature. He was required by constitutional mandates to join the state legislature within six months and was elected unopposed to the Legislative Council in May 2020. His current term is expiring on May 13, leading to considerable speculation regarding his future.

After the rebellion led by Eknath Shinde, which resulted in Thackeray's resignation as Chief Minister, he had initially expressed his desire to resign from his Legislative Council seat. However, he later chose to remain, citing the remaining four years in his term.

Observers point out that Thackeray has been largely inactive in the Upper House since the government change, with attendance typically limited to a few sessions. Recently, he did engage in discussions regarding a condolence motion for Ajit Pawar during the current Budget Session.

Sanjay Raut, spokesperson and MP for Shiv Sena (UBT), previously suggested a strategy where Sharad Pawar would represent the alliance in the Rajya Sabha, while Thackeray would be the candidate for the Legislative Council. This arrangement facilitated Sharad Pawar's unopposed election to the Rajya Sabha with Congress support, and it is widely believed that Congress' backing for the MVA's council seat hinges on Thackeray's candidacy.

While Shiv Sena (UBT) is advocating for Thackeray's candidacy, the Shinde-led Shiv Sena may complicate matters by fielding an additional candidate. Despite the MVA having 17 surplus votes beyond the necessary quota, the ruling alliance may still aim to ensure that Thackeray's re-election is not a simple process.

According to analysts, the MVA's success in re-electing Thackeray relies entirely on the unity of the 16 Congress MLAs and 10 NCP(SP) MLAs. If even a few of these 46 MLAs are persuaded to support a Mahayuti candidate, Thackeray's previously safe seat could be put at risk, potentially leading to a tense second-preference counting scenario. Should the Shinde faction field a third candidate (or the Mahayuti introduce a ninth), they would aim to secure the MVA's 19 surplus votes. Given that the Council election employs a secret ballot, the MVA's 19 extra votes become a critical target for political maneuvering.

In this context, the final decision now lies with Uddhav Thackeray, whose choice will play a crucial role in shaping the MVA's strategy for the upcoming elections.