Maharashtra: BJP calls MLAs to Mumbai ahead of Rajya Sabha election

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The BJP in Maharashtra has asked its MLAs to come to the city in the next two days ahead of the June 10 Rajya Sabha election, a party leader said on Tuesday.

After more than two decades, a contest would take place for Rajya Sabha seats from Maharashtra as there are seven candidates in the fray for six vacancies.

The BJP has fielded union minister Piyush Goyal, Anil Bonde and Dhananjay Mahadik.

The voting is scheduled for June 10. A winning candidate needs 41.01 votes and the fight for the sixth seat is between the Shiv Sena's Sanjay Pawar and BJP's Mahadik.

"We have asked almost all the MLAs to come to Mumbai in the next two days. We also need at least 70 MLAs here tomorrow because their signatures are required on the papers of the party's nominees for the June 20 Legislative Council elections," said a state BJP leader on Tuesday.

The deadline for filing of nominations for Council elections is June 9.

For the Rajya Sabha election, both the ruling Sena-led MVA alliance and BJP are eyeing the votes of 20 MLAs. Thirteen of these are independents, while others belong to smaller parties.

BJP leader and former minister Girish Mahajan on Tuesday met Hitendra Thakur, seeking his support. Thakur's Bahujan Vikas Aghadi has three MLAs and he is known as a supporter of NCP chief Sharad Pawar.

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Thakur or his party refused to make any statement regarding the meeting.

Senior BJP leader and former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis tested positive for Covid-19 on Sunday. It was not clear yet whether he will be able to vote in the June 10 elections due to quarantine/isolation rules.

From the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance, the Shiv Sena has fielded two candidates -- Sanjay Raut and Sanjay Pawar. The NCP (Praful Patel) and Congress (Imran Pratapgarhi) have fielded one candidate each.

Given its strength in the Assembly (106), the BJP has enough votes to win two seats, while the Sena, NCP and Congress can win one seat each.

But the Sena (55), NCP (52) and Congress (44) have enough votes together to ensure the victory of the second candidate of the Sena.

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