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Business News/ Politics / Policy/  MLC bypoll: Congress, NCP, Shiv Sena may join hands against Narayan Rane
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MLC bypoll: Congress, NCP, Shiv Sena may join hands against Narayan Rane

An informal alliance likely against the former CM Narayan Rane who recently left Congress for BJP

Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis indicated that Narayan Rane would be made a cabinet minister but that requires Rane to be a member of either of Maharashtra’s two Houses. Photo: HTPremium
Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis indicated that Narayan Rane would be made a cabinet minister but that requires Rane to be a member of either of Maharashtra’s two Houses. Photo: HT

Mumbai: A crucial legislative council bypoll on 7 December for a seat vacated by former Congress leader Narayan Rane is likely to lead to a realignment of political equations among the four major parties in Maharashtra.

Rane quit the Congress party in September and also resigned his legislative council seat. On 1 October, he formed a new political party called Maharashtra Swabhiman Paksha, which he later said would support the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis indicated that Rane would be made a cabinet minister but that requires Rane to be a member of either of Maharashtra’s two Houses.

On 21 November, the Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) decided to contest the election jointly to thwart the BJP’s chances. The decision was taken at a joint meeting of Congress and NCP leaders. Since the seat Rane resigned belonged to the Congress party, the NCP has agreed to support a candidate the Congress fielded, an NCP functionary said, requesting anonymity. The Congress and NCP leaders also discussed approaching the Shiv Sena in case Rane filed his nomination, the NCP functionary said.

If Rane contests the 7 December bypoll, he could face a united opposition in the form of an informal alliance among the Congress, Shiv Sena and the NCP, functionaries from these parties say. Rane’s original party, Shiv Sena nurses an old grudge against the former Maharashtra chief minister for his public outbursts against its chief Uddhav Thackeray.

The Congress is keen to teach a lesson to Rane after he publicly criticized the party leadership and quit. While Sharad Pawar’s NCP has no such grouse against Rane, it is likely to vote with the Shiv Sena and Congress to ensure Rane’s defeat and embarrass the BJP.

However, the BJP, which will back Rane if he stands for election, is confident that Rane will not only get elected but even benefit from cross-voting in the Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena.

“It is the members of the legislative assembly who will vote in this election. There is going to be a secret ballot. I am absolutely sure that Rane will get many more votes than the strength of the BJP and independents backing the BJP government put together. If there is some informal realignment of forces being thought about against Rane, then those parties are underestimating him," said a senior BJP leader and minister requesting anonymity.

From the 288-member Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, Rane needs to win at least 145 votes to get elected to the legislative council. In the assembly, the BJP has 122 members followed by Shiv Sena (63), Congress (42), and NCP (41). “It is absolutely unlikely that Shiv Sena will vote for Rane. Since it is a secret ballot, we do not need any formal arrangement with the Congress and NCP to vote against Rane. We can nix his chances," said a Sena leader and member of the legislative council seeking anonymity.

The Sena, Congress, and NCP triumvirate has 146 votes against the BJP’s 130 (122 plus independents and smaller parties).

However, the BJP thinks that indirect elections to the legislative council seats always have room for cross-voting. “Rane’s son is still a Congress MLA and he also enjoys support from at least three to four other Congress legislators who left Shiv Sena with him and joined the Congress. In addition, he is already in talks with 10 to 15 Congress MLAs who may vote for him. There is a big group of some 15 to 20 Shiv Sena legislators which is being led by a senior Sena minister and which is not happy with the Sena leadership. They are also in talks with Rane and may vote for him," said the BJP minister.

He said all 41 NCP legislators had no reason to vote against Rane.

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Published: 22 Nov 2017, 11:47 PM IST
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