Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai

Mumbai, Apr 28: A political twist has emerged ahead of the Maharashtra Legislative Council elections, with Bachchu Kadu reportedly being offered a Council seat by the Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) on the condition that his Prahar Janshakti Party merges with it.

Kadu is expected to announce his stand on Tuesday. He has reportedly sought opinions from key party workers before taking a final decision. The development has raised questions, especially in Amravati district politics, where Kadu has been seen as a rival to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). His possible entry into the Shinde-led Sena could alter local political equations and prompt a response from the BJP.

Sources indicate that several leaders within the Shinde faction, including ministers and MLAs, are opposed to offering Kadu a nomination. Leaders, particularly from Vidarbha, fear that inducting him without a merger could create internal challenges.

Meanwhile, if Uddhav Thackeray contests the Council elections, all nine seats could be elected unopposed. A tenth seat is expected to go to the BJP as a separate election is scheduled on May 12.

The BJP state core committee had initially sent a list of 30 names to the party high command in Delhi, which was later trimmed to 15 candidates.

Of the 10 seats, BJP is expected to secure six, while the Shinde Sena may get two seats, and the Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar faction) one. The remaining seat is likely to go to the opposition alliance.

Both Congress and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP faction have already extended support to Thackeray’s potential candidature. Names such as Ambadas Danve and Sushma Andhare are also being discussed, but if Thackeray himself enters the fray, the election could be uncontested.

In the absence of Thackeray’s candidature, political manoeuvring and cross-voting could come into play, prompting the ruling alliance to field candidates for all seats. Sources suggest there is growing pressure within his party for Thackeray to contest.

Within the Ajit Pawar-led NCP, names like Parth Pawar, Aniket Tatkare, Anand Paranjpe, Rajendra Jain, Vikram Kakade, Sunil Tingre and Umesh Patil are under consideration for nomination.

In the BJP camp, despite six expected seats, competition remains intense with around 75 aspirants in the fray. Former Congress leader Pragnya Satav is considered a strong contender. Additionally, discussions are underway to induct a prominent leader from a smaller party in the Konkan region and nominate them to the Council. A ????? leader holding a key organisational role in the state BJP is also likely to be fielded.