Trouble brews over Sena’s bid to win 2nd Rajya Sabha seat

MUMBAI:  Ruling Shiv Sena’s bid to grab the second Rajya Sabha seat in Maharashtra seems heading into trouble. The Sena’s ally, Prahar Janshakti Party led by Bacchu Kadu, has threatened that if the issues of foodgrain farmers are not solved by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, the PJP may be forced to rethink its decision.

The PJP has two MLAs which means they carry two votes. Similarly, Samajwadi Party and Bhahujan Vikas Party have also threatened to vote against Sena’s second candidate. Both the SP and BVP have two and three MLAs, respectively. 

Kadu is a state minister in the Uddhav Thackeray government but is said to be unhappy with the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance. He said that paddy farmers are yet to get paid for their produce that has been sold in the agriculture produce market committees. “CM Uddhav Thackeray should immediately talk to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and resolve payment issue of foodgrain producers. Farmers have to be given financial aid but no such allowances have yet been given. NCP chief Sharad Pawar also needs to meet PM Modi regarding this. Time is running out. We should not leave the farmers in the lurch,” Kadu said.

The Rajya Sabha election for the sixth seat in Maharashtra is turning out to be a fierce battle between Maha Vikas Aghadi and the BJP. BJP has pitched Dhanajay Mahadik as its third candidate against the second candidate of Sena, Sanjay Pawar. To win one seat of Rajya Sabha in the state, a candidate needs to get at least 42 votes.

By this arithmetic, BJP can comfortably win two seats while Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance partners — Shiv Sena, Congress and NCP — can win one seat each without any trouble due to requisite numbers. Maha Vikas Aghadi has the support of 169 MLAs while BJP has enjoyed the support of 113 MLAs in Maharashtra state assembly.

Kharge to address Cong MLAs at Hotel Trident
The Congress has called its MLAs to Mumbai on June 7 at Hotel Trident where senior leader Mallikarjun Kharge, who has been appointed in charge for the Rajya Sabha elections, will address these MLAs. The grand old party has fielded Urdu poet Imran Pratapgrahi from its quota for the Rajya Sabha elections in Maharashtra.