The Maha Vikas Agadi alliance in Maharashtra suffered a major blow on the eve of the Rajya Sabha elections as a special court in Mumbai on Thursday disallowed former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh, and state minister Nawab Malik from voting in the Upper House. Earlier, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had objected to the pleas of both ministers asking for a day’s bail in order to vote. The ED had contended that prisoners have no right to vote, while citing the Representation of the People Act. Deshmukh was arrested last year by ED under the provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in connection with an alleged Rs 100-crore extortion case. Last week, the CBI had filed a chargesheet against the NCP leader. Meanwhile, Nawab Malik was arrested on February under the provisions of PMLA over money laundering charges and alleged link with underground gangster Dawood Ibrahim.
Both ministers belong to the NCP, which is a part of the MVA. As the MVA is in a close fight with the BJP in Maharashtra for the Rajya Sabha elections, every vote is considered crucial at this stage. With six seats falling vacant in the state and seven candidates in the fray, the contest will be intensified in the sixth seat. BJP has fielded three candidates, Shiv Sena has fielded two, and the Congress and NCP have fielded one each.
In the 288-member Maharashtra state assembly, the MVA alliance of Shiv Sena, Congress and NCP have enough votes (151) to win three seats, and has fielded four candidates. The BJP has 106 MLAs and can win two seats, but has fielded three candidates. With Independents and smaller parties collectively holding 29 seats, both BJP and MVA are constantly trying to woo them. As eight Independents and Raj Thackeray’s MNS have extended support to the BJP, four Independents are likely to support Shiv Sena in the Upper House elections. While many of these Independents and smaller parties have publicly supported either of the two sides, a lot is riding on the ones who are yet to decide which side to choose.
