MLC poll results: Sena-BJP bitterness on display in results

There is no end to the drama in the Maharashtra Legislative Council (MLC) elections. Coalition partners, BJP and the Shiv Sena were at each other again. While the Sena and Congress candidates won comfortably, the Sena leaders have accused the BJP of backstabbing during the polls.

The Congress had fielded Bhai Jagtap, while the Sena backed Environment Minister Ramdas Kadam. The third contender was NCP rebel Prasad Lad. Lad secured nearly 56 votes, while Jagtap got 58 votes and Kadam secured 86 votes.

The polls were held on Sunday, and the results were declared yesterday.

In the house, the Sena has 75 corporators, and the support of some 10 others. The BJP has 33, while the Congress has around 56.

This means that while the Sena and its supporters voted for Kadam, the BJP, which promised support for the Sena, voted en masse for Lad. According to a source close to Lad, "All of BJP, the Samajwadi Party, independents, and even nine Congress corporators voted for Lad. However, the NCP members split and did not vote for Lad."

When contacted, Lad claimed that he was happy he gave a tough fight to all the candidates. However, Sena corporator Avkash Jadhav, claimed that the BJP has shown its true colours. "First by putting Manoj Kotak as a candidate, they showed that they were not going to support us. Now the truth is out in the open. The BJP has made things clear."

Reacting to the Shiv Sena, Niranjan Shetty, BJP City spokesperson said, "The BJP will investigate what happened at the elections, but Sena talking about back stabbing is not fair. They should look at what they did in the past. During corporation and assembly elections, they have also done the same." Shetty said many a times rebel Sena candidates have stood against official BJP candidates when they contested in the alliance.

A senior BJP leader confirmed that while all the BJP corporators voted for Lad, had NCP also supported him, he would have won.