M'rashtra RS and council polls: Smaller parties will have a say

MUMBAI: With a combined strength of 29 in the house of 288, smaller parties in the Maharashtra assembly will make bigger players dance to their tunes in the forthcoming biennial elections to the six Rajya Sabha and 10 Legislative Council seats.

The ruling Congress-NCP combine has 144 MLAs (Congress 82 and NCP 62) in the assembly and enjoys the support of a majority of 24 Independents. The saffron alliance’s strength is 91 (BJP 46 and Shiv Sena 45).

While 42 first preference votes are required by a candidate for a straight win in the Rajya Sabha poll, 27 votes will see an aspirant through without any hindrance in the elections to the legislative council.

Both Congress-NCP coalition and BJP-Sena combine can secure easy victory for three and two candidates, respectively, in the Rajya Sabha poll. But the two blocs will engage in a stiff contest for the 10th seat in the upper house of the state legislature.

The Congress-NCP alliance will require support from Independents and others for the victory of its fourth Rajya Sabha nominee.

Congress-NCP combination, with assured support of an overwhelming majority of Independents, most of whom got elected as rebels, can easily secure six council seats and BJP-Sena group can bag three without a problem.

Whether the saffron alliance — which would be left with 10 surplus votes — is able to mobilise support of adequate number of MLAs to win an additional seat would be interesting to watch.