Maharashtra council polls: Ex-minister Parab among 55 candidates in fray for 4 seats

Mumbai: As many as 4.29 lakh voters will decide the fate of 55 candidates for the upcoming polls to four constituencies in the Maharashtra legislative council, officials said on Thursday.

The biennial elections to the Mumbai Graduates, Mumbai Teachers, Nashik teachers and Konkan Graduates constituencies in the upper house of the state legislature are scheduled for June 26 and results will be declared on July 1.

The polls became necessary as the terms of sitting members are expiring in July.

In the Mumbai Graduates constituency, there are eight candidates in the fray. The main contest is expected between former state minister Anil Parab of the Shiv Sena (UBT) and Kiran Shelar of the BJP.

There are total 1,20,771 persons eligible to cast vote, including 71,010 men, 49,755 women and six others, an election official said.

The Konkan Graduates constituency will see a direct fight between MLC Niranjan Davkhare of the BJP and Congress candidate Ramesh Keer. There are total of 13 candidates in the fray.

The constituency comprises 2,23,408 eligible voters - 1,27,769 men, 95,611 women and 28 others.

In the Mumbai Teachers constituency, there are 13 candidates, including Shiv Sena (UBT) nominee J M Abhayankar and NCP's Shivaji Nalawade.

The BJP is backing independent candidate Shivnath Darade and the Shiv Sena is supporting independent nominee Shivaji Shendge.

There are 15,839 voters in the Mumbai Teachers constituency, including 11,886 women and 3,953 men.

The Nashik Teachers constituency has 21 candidates, including Sandeep Gulve of the Shiv Sena (UBT), independent nominee Vivek Kolhe and Shiv Sena nominee Kishore Darade.

The constituency has 46,503 male voters and 22,865 female, taking the total number of eligible electors to 69,368.

Out of 78 seats in the legislative council, Shiv Sena (undivided) has 11 members, NCP (undivided) 9, Congress 8, and BJP 22. The JD (U), Peasants and Workers Party, and Rashtriya Samaj Paksha have one member each, while four are Independents. 21 seats are vacant.

Notably, most of the MLCs from Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party have switched their sides to the camps led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, respectively, after the split in these parties.