MUMBAI: The stage is set for a bruising contest for the state legislative council polls on June 20, with the parties fielding 11 candidates for the 10 vacant seats. BJP has put up five, Congress and Shiv Sena two each, and NCP is expected to nominate two.
The nominations threw up some surprises, with BJP ignoring Pankaja Munde and Vinod Tawde and Sena retiring party old-timers Subhash Desai, also industry minister, and Diwakar Raote. Congress played it safe with an eye on the BMC elections and NCP is almost certain to nominate Eknath Khadse, who left BJP in disgrace and has been waiting to be rehabilitated by NCP.
Sena turns page, sidelines old-timers Desai and Raote
Mumbai: Shiv Sena veteran and industries minister Subhash Desai, 79, said on Wednesday he will not file his nomination for the state legislative council polls. The party, therefore, nominated Sachin Ahir and Nandurbar district party chief Amsha Padvi, who filed their papers in the presence of Sena ministers Aaditya Thackeray and Eknath Shinde on Wednesday.
With Desai, a cabinet minister, not being re-nominated, the party may go for a cabinet reshuffle before the monsoon session of the state legislature, said senior leaders.
The Sena nominations meant the end of innings for another senior leader, Diwakar Raote. Both Desai and Raote were close to Sena founder Bal Thackeray and part of the party's old guard.
"I will not be filing the nomination for the MLC polls. Two others will be given a chance, a decision has been taken about that, so there is no question of me filing a nomination. I am part of the nominating process," said Desai.
Ahir had joined Sena from NCP before the 2019 assembly polls and did not contest from his former constituency of Worli. Aaditya Thackeray contested and won from there in 2019. Padvi, a loyal Sainik, had lost the 2019 polls from Akkalkuva in Nandurbar to Congress's K C Padvi.
"Since Desai can remain a minister for six months even after retiring as MLC, there may be a cabinet reshuffle in the next few weeks. The party may induct another leader from Mumbai into the council of ministers keeping in mind the BMC elections, and the current portfolios may be shuffled," a senior Sena functionary said.
Sena MP Arvind Sawant said Desai has given an ideal lesson of where to stop in politics. "Shiv Sena leader Subhash Desai himself decided not to file his nomination for the legislative council election process and give an opportunity to others. He has shown us the ideal way on where to stop in politics. However, it is sad that Desai, who has been handling the industry department of Maharashtra very efficiently and successfully despite adverse circumstances, will no longer be handling the industries department. We respect the decision," he said.
