NCP chief Sharad Pawar has called a meeting of all his legislators on Wednesday evening. He is likely to address them about the biennial elections for seven Rajya Sabha seats to be held on March 26, said NCP leaders.
“We have decided to contest for two Rajya Sabha seats. Pawar saheb and Fauzia Khan [former NCP minister] will be party’s candidates for the polls. Both are filing their nomination papers on Wednesday. In the evening, Pawar saheb has called a meeting of all the legislators where they are likely to be addressed about party’s strategy for the elections,” said a senior NCP leader.
The meeting assumes significance considering the political crisis in Madhya Pradesh following the resignation of 22 MLAs from Congress. There are also speculations that similar ‘Operation Lotus’ can be adopted by BJP in Maharashtra. However, NCP functionaries have denied any connection between the developments. “The legislators meeting was scheduled for Wednesday a week ago and Madhya Pradesh’s political crisis occurred today [Tuesday],” said an NCP minister. Meanwhile, the state Congress leaders said the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government is stable. The public works department minister Ashok Chavan said, “I don’t see any threat to MVA government. The situation in state is different than in Madhya Pradesh.” State Congress chief Balasaheb Thorat said that there is proper coordination within the alliance and any attempt of BJP to topple the government will be foiled.
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