The role of independents in the Friday polls for six seats of biennial Rajya Sabha in Maharashtra is away from media glare but back channel activities are on the rise as time is running out for them to come to terms. By late evening, SP MLAs Abu Azmi and Raees Sheikh have finally conceded, having agreed to vote for the MVA candidates.
Abu Azmi while confirming has reposed faith in the MVA leadership and praised not only NCP chief Sharad Pawar but also Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. Efforts are on to convince the AIMIM leadership and they will also follow SP and vote for MVA, indications are available.
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Tuesday 17 Dec. 2024
As written earlier, these independents are right in their own way while raising their grievances like lack of response from the MVA leadership particularly Chief Minister who had not responded to their memorandum. Some of the independents have personal vengeance against some candidates but in the larger interest, they are supporting MVA candidates.
No major obstacle seems to have been noticed by the MVA leadership and seems all well for them. Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray after spending considerable time with all MLAs and national leaders of constituents like NCP chief Sharad Pawar All India Congress Committee (AICC) observer, Mallikarjun Kharge and In charge of Party affairs in Maharashtra,H K Patil along with State leadership Balasaheb Thorat from Congress and Ajit Pawar from NCP and his own Cabinet colleagues from Sena, Thackeray preferred to travel to Aurangabad for a public meeting planned earlier.
He wants to send a message to other political leaders particularly BJP that there is nothing to worry about Rajya Sabha polls in Mumbai. The BJP is holding its meeting with party MLAs and supporting MLAs tonight and former Chief Minister and now Opposition Leader Devendra Fadnavis who is Corona affected addressed the meeting through video conference. Other state leaders are shouldering their responsibilities to help him. MVA was holding its second round of meeting also tonight at Hotel Trident.
Two more nights stay for these Maharashtra MLAs in five star hotels before they are driven to Vidhan Bhawan on Friday.
…Joseph Rao – Senior Journalist
