Muristek
MLC polls: MVA and BJP legislators housed in five-star hotels to avoid cross-voting
Against the backdrop of the defeat of Shiv Sena's second nominee in Rajya Sabha election, Congress and NCP held separate meetings of their legislators and explained them the polling procedure for 10 seats of state Council scheduled for June 20. Both the parties are contacting independents and smaller parties to get their votes for the victory of their two nominees each while Shiv Sena is taking due care for the victory of its two nominees. Tourism Minister and Yuva Sena chief Aaditya Thackeray is camping with party legislators and independents and members of smaller parties housed in the Westin hotel at Powai and holding one on one meeting.
On the other hand, Congress has put its legislators in Four Seasons hotel while NCP legislators have been housed in Trident. BJP has put its legislators in Taj President where former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and former minister Ashish Shekar on Saturday briefed them on dos and don’ts during polling and they were told to stay in the hotel till they leave for Monday to avoid any inconvenience in the wake of weather bureau’s prediction of heavy rains and high tide. Three parties have decided to bring their legislators early in the morning after the polling begins at 9 am.
Three ruling parters have strictly asked their legislators not to entertain their personal assistants and relatives in their respective rooms in a serious bid to avoid leakage of secret information outside. Senior Congress minister Balasaheb Thorat and Ashok Chavan have been supervising the poll strategy while NCP veterans including DCM Ajit Pawar and water resources minister Jayant Patil are in constant touch with legislators and independents.
NCP chief Sharad Pawar today addressed party legislators while senior Congress Ministers Balasaheb Thorat and Ashok Chavan spoke at the legislators' meeting.
Meanwhile, DCM Ajit Pawar admitted that those who will get 26 votes will win and those who won't will be defeated. In all, 11 nominees are in the fray for 10 seats. ‘’MVA has fielded 6 nominees against BJP’s five candidates for 10 council seats. I have been watching the news for the last two days and I want to make it clear that we are all working hard to get six nominees of MVA elected," he noted.
"10 out of 11 will be elected, one will be defeated, so that miracle is bound to happen. Those who fall short of the 26 votes (quota needed for victory) will lose,’’ said Pawar.
Pawar admitted that parties should respectfully ask for votes from independents. ‘’It is true that the independents were approached. I personally phoned many. Ashokrao Chavan and Balasaheb Thorat also spoke to many. Not only the first and second preference votes are important, but also the third, fourth and fifth preference votes are also crucial for the victory of MVA’s sixth nominee,’’ he said.