Keen tussle between Teli & Patil; Rane's role crucial

Mumbai, May 31 (UNI) A keen tussle is on cards between PWP's Jayant Patil and Congress's Rajan Teli in biennial elections of Maharashtra legislative council scheduled to be held tomorrow while the acumen of Maharashtra Revenue Minister Narayan Rane will be tested in this election.

Congress decided to field fourth candidate Rajan Teli, a hardcore Rane supporter, 15 minutes before the end of the timing for filing the nominations. The party decided to filed Teli after it refused two proposals of NCP of giving the fourth seat either to NCP or to PWP.

Sources said Teli is banking on nine extra votes of Congress and five Rane supporter MLAs who are still in shiv sena. The total of these sure votes reaches to 14 when Mr Teli needs 11 more votes to win.

In this situation the role of Mr Rane would be more crucial as it is interesting to watch as howmany more votes he would be able to garner from sena camp apart from independents.

On the other hand, PWP candidate Jayant Patil is banking on the support of two PWP, three CPI(M), MLAs apart from eight sena-BJP legislators. However in this calculation he is falling short to Teli.

Vasant Oswal (NCP) does not stand any chance of getting elected since the NCP has got only seven extra votes after getting their three candidates elected.

Mr Rane is reported to have a grouse against Mr Patil whose support to Shiv Sena candidate Tukaram Surve proved crucial in Srivardhan byelection which resulted in the defeat of Shyam Sawant, his trusted lieutnant.

Mr Rane, succeeded in pressursing the party high command to field the fourt candidate of his choice and also assured that he would not disturb the votes of three congress candidates -Govindrao Adik, Ulhas Pawar and S Q Zama.

If Rane succeeds in getting Mr Teli elected it would definitely increase his position in the congress.

Meanwhile, a meeting of Congress legislature Party was held at Sahyadri guest house in presence of Congress observers Priyaranjan Dasmunshi, Margaret Alva and Siddharth Patel while BJP also held a meeting of their legislators. The NCP had also held a meeting of the senior party leaders to chalk out the strategy today while sena had orgnised their meeting yesterday.

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