Mumbai While the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition lost its battle for for the 10th seat at the legislative council election on Monday, the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) managed to get both of its candidates — Eknath Khadse and Ramraje Naik Nimbalkar — elected.
Former BJP leader and one of the two NCP candidates, Khadse, received the highest 29 votes. According to NCP insiders, the party leadership ensured that Khadse wins the polls as he has been a vocal critic of BJP, particularly opposition leader Devendra Fadnavis. The party expects him to launch an attack on Fadnavis and also improve NCP’s performance in north Maharashtra, where Khadse’s Leva Patil community has a strong presence.
NCP not only managed to keep its flock together but also got five additional votes as Khadse secured 29, while Nimbalkar polled 27 votes. NCP’s active strength is 51 as two of its MLAs, Anil Deshmukh and Nawab Malik, were not allowed temporary release by the Supreme court to exercise their franchise.
Khadse said that some of the BJP MLAs have voted for him. “I am sure the additional votes that I have managed to secure comes from my friends in the BJP,” he said.
NCP insiders believe that three MLAs — Sanjay Mama Shinde (independent), Shyamsunder Shinde (PWP) and Devendra Bhuyar (Swabhimani Paksha) have voted for the party. Besides, NCP also got one vote each from Samajwadi Party and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM).
“This is not the end. Many allegations were made against me when I was in the state cabinet and I was forced to resign from the ministerial berth. After all this, the enforcement directorate (ED) started a probe against me and my son-in-law was arrested. I was summoned along with my wife and daughter. My entire property was seized. Now, weeks ago, ED has issued an order asking to vacate the properties including my residence. I am still facing harassment,” Khadse said in his response to a Marathi news channel — ABP Majha.
A former revenue minister, Khadse was asked to resign from the cabinet over allegations of graft and conflict of interest in a deal of a three-acre plot in Bhosari near Pune. Since then, Khadse has been at loggerheads with Fadnavis and joined NCP in October 2020 by blaming the leader of opposition for all his miseries.
Khadse was also nominated by the NCP as one of its MLC candidates from the governor’s quota.
NCP MP Supriya Sule said that she is sure that Khadse will make the best of the opportunity. “We all have seen Khadse’s work. He has been serving the people for the last four decades and I am sure he will do his best as an MLC,” Sule said.
