Maharashtra: Heavy rains, high drama mark Legislative Council elections

The much-anticipated Maharashtra Legislative Council elections were held today, with voting for 11 seats being cast at Vidhan Bhavan. The process, which began at 9.00 am, ended at 4.00 pm, with results expected to be announced tomorrow, 12 July.

Controversy arose when the Congress filed a complaint against jailed BJP MLA Ganpat Gaikwad's participation in the voting. The election officer has sought a reply from the state's chief election officer regarding the matter, and Gaikwad has been temporarily barred from voting until a decision is reached.

As Gaikwad arrived to vote, the Congress urged the Assembly speaker to prevent his participation in the voting process. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut criticised this as a misuse of power, referencing how NCP (Nationalist Congress Party) MLAs Nawab Malik and Anil Deshmukh were not allowed to vote while imprisoned in 2022.

Prominent figures such as Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde and Shiva Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray were among those casting their votes. The BJP has fielded five candidates: party national secretary Pankaja Munde, former minister Parinay Phuke, former Pune mayor Yogesh Tilekar, Matang community leader Amit Gorkhe, and former minister and Rayat Kranti Paksha chief Sadabhau Khot.

The NCP, led by deputy CM Ajit Pawar, has nominated Rajesh Vitekar and party general-secretary Shivajirao Garje. The Shiv Sena has put forward former Lok Sabha MPs Bhawna Gavli and Krupal Tumane, while the Congress has renominated MLC Pradnya Satav.

Shiv Sena (UBT) has nominated Uddhav Thackeray's close aide Milind Narvekar, and Peasants and Workers Party (PWP) MLC Jayant Patil is also in the race for the opposition.

In anticipation of potential cross-voting, all major parties moved their MLAs to five-star hotels two days before the election. Meetings were held to ensure party loyalty, with BJP MLAs gathering at the party headquarters, Shiv Sena (UBT) MLAs at Hotel ITC Grand Central, and Congress MLAs at Hotel Intercontinental.

Despite rumours, Congress leader and state Opposition leader Vijay Wadettiwar denied that any Congress MLAs would cross-vote in favour of the BJP-led Mahayuti candidates. 

The BJP, with the support of Independents, currently has 111 MLAs and needs four additional votes to secure victory for all five of its candidates. The Shinde-led Sena, with 38 MLAs and support from additional legislators, aims to ensure the success of its two candidates. Ajit Pawar’s NCP, with 39 MLAs and support from two Independents, requires five more votes to win both its seats.

The election is crucial as 11 MLCs are set to retire on 27 July, including four from BJP, two from Congress, and one each from the NCP, Shiv Sena, Shiv Sena (UBT), PWP, and Rashtriya Samaj Party. The Maharashtra Assembly's strength has decreased from 288 to 274 owing to various reasons, including resignations and deaths.

Adding to the day's challenges, heavy rains have lashed parts of Mumbai, leading Shiv Sena (UBT) to request an extension of the voting time by an hour. Sena (UBT) MP Anil Desai stated that they would appeal to the state electoral officer to accommodate the voters affected by inclement weather.