NCP plans to spoil congress chances again

Mumbai, June 20 (UNI) Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), an ally of Congress in the Maharashtra Government which joined hands with the opposition Shiv Sena-BJP to defeat the latter's candidate for the Rajya Sabha by-election recently, appears to have made up its mind to play the spoilsport again.

Even though NCP is officially backing the Congress nominee, a close confidante of City congress chief Gurudas Kamat, local NCP office bearers are working for Shivajirao Nalawade, NCP's Mumbai unit vice president, to ensure a split in Shiv Sena votes, congress sources say.

Mumbai Congress spokesman Ajit Sawant said the NCP has given the Congress a letter of support for the Mumbai Graduates constituency in return for the congress support in Konkan division graduates constituency. But, it is being seen that local workers of NCP have put up banners in Nalawade's support.

For the Mumbai Graduates, the main fight is between Amarjit Singh Manhas of the Congress and Dr Deepak Sawant of Shiv Sena. However, NCP rebel Shivajirao Nalawade is contesting as an independent. There are five more independents and one candidate of JD(S) Prabhakar Narkar, who is a former Journalist.

There are 81,414 graduate voters who will exercise their franchise. The seat was earlier held by Shiv Sena veteran Pramod Navalkar for several years.

Apart from Mumbai graduates, biennial elections are being held for Konkan division graduates, Mumbai teachers and Nashik teachers constituencies in the Upper House of the Legislature.

There are 11 candidates in fray including Nilesh Chavan of NCP and Sanjay Kelkar of BJP for the Konkan division graduates seat.

There are 13 contestants for the Mumbai Teachers constituency including Balasaheb Mahadeo Mhatre of Congress. Similarly, there are ten candidates in fray for the Nashik teachers constituency including Vishnu Nikam of Shiv Sena. In Mumbai Teachers and Nashik Teachers, except Congress and Shiv Sena respectively, no other political party has fielded its candidates.

There are 19,314 voters in Mumbai teachers constituency, 43910 in Nashik teachers, 58549 in Konkan division graduates.

Political analysts feel that the poll outcome in Mumbai Graduates and Mumbai teachers constituencies will determine the mood of the electorate in the metropolis ahead of the crucial civic elections scheduled early next year.

The division of anti-shiv sena votes in Mumbai graduates constituency makes the poll battle even more interesting as the seat has been held by the Shiv Sena for many years.

UNI MR PM PR DB1807