State Council polls to test political acumen of Narayan Rane

Mumbai, May 28: Congress in Maharashtra seems to be caught between a double edged sword in the run-up to the biennial elections of Maharashtra Legislative Council scheduled for June one.

Rampant factionalism within the party has come to the fore again vis-a-vis its already fragile coalition with the NCP. With both the Congress and NCP having fielded an additional candidate each, the fear of cross voting looms large.

Political observers feel the elections will test the political acumen of former Sena leader and now Congressman Narayan Rane as he tries to make a space for himself in State Congress politics.

Congress sources feel he has already proved himself by getting four of his supporters elected in the assembly by-elections and thereby assuring the largest party status for the Congress.

Biennial elections are to be held to fill vacancies of eleven seats from the Legislative Assembly which has an electoral college of 289 members.

There are thirteen candidates in the fray. They include Govindrao Adik, Ulhas Pawar, S Q Zama and Rajan Teli (Congress), Arun Gujarathi, Usha Darade and Vasant Oswal (NCP), Preetam Shegaonkar (RPI), Jayant Patil (PWP), Pasha Patel and Keshav Mankar (BJP) and Parshuram Uparkar and Vijay Loke (Shiv Sena).

According to Congress sources, a last minute decision to field an additional candidate Rajan Teli, a staunch Narayan Rane supporter, is an attempt by the former Shiv Sena leader to kill three birds with one stone.

Mr Rane wants to avenge the defeat of his nominee Shyam Sawant from the Srivardhan assembly by-election early this year in which Peasants and Workers Party (PWP) strongman Jayant Patil, who is seeking re-election, played a key role. Shiv Sena had pledged its excess votes to Mr Patil, but with additional candidates in fray, the Sena will have to ensure safety of both its candidates.

Mr Rane is also banking on the MLAs of his erstwhile party and independents to ensure that his protege Teli sails through smoothly.

Similarly, the move to field a fourth candidate has also put NCP on the backfoot. Besides, his rivals in the Congress themselves have been caught off guard.

The decision to field a fourth candidate was taken when NCP unilaterally decided to support Jayant Patil and asked the Congress to do the same. State Congress president Prabha Rau said NCP asked the Congress not to put up a fourth candidate and instead support Patil.

Party sources said Congress has 73 members of its own and has the support of eleven independents.

Congress sources say Mr Deshmukh will ensure that his close aide Ulhas Pawar gets re-elected, while Ms Rau will be playing her cards well to see Govindrao Adik through. Similarly, Mr Rane will work for Rajan Teli's entry into the Legislative Council.

In the 289-member Assembly, Congress has 73 MLAs, NCP 71, Shiv Sena 58, BJP 54, Jansurajya Shakti Party four, CPM three, PWP 2, and RPI (A), Swatantra Bharat Party, and ABS one each. There are 19 independents and one nominated member.

Congress has the support of eleven independents while NCP has six independents in its kitty, apart from four of the Jansurajya Shakti Party and one RPI. CPM have already decided to support PWP.

UNI