Cong-NCP confident of winning Rajya Sabha seat

MUMBAI: The Congress and its ally, the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party, are confident that the Democratic Front (DF) candidate, former minister Hussain Dalwai, will easily get elected in the by-election to the Rajya Sabha seat.
The Congress and the NCP on Thursday held separate meetings with their MLAs and Independents who are supporting Dalwai.In the evening, the Congress-NCP and the Independents held a dinner meeting to ensure that all the voters had reached Mumbai.
Chief minister Prithviraj Chavan, deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar , MPCC president Manikrao Thakare and NCP state president Madhukar Pichad were present for the final joint meeting. Thakare claimed that the Independents who attended the joint meeting held at Y B Chavan centre would vote for the Congress candidate.
Meanwhile, the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance has fielded former MLA Bal Mane, who is from the BJP. The Congress has 82 MLAs and the NCP has 62, as well as the support of 23 Independents in the 288-member House. The Shiv Sena has 45 MLAs, the BJP has 46 MLAs and the support of one Independent candidate.
the direct fight between Congress and BJP candidate for the bye-election to the Rajysa Sabha seat .The election will take place on Friday at Vidhan Bhavan.
The Congress and the NCP held separate meetings of their MLAs and independents supporting Dalwai during the day on Thursday . In the evening the Congress-NCP and independents held a dinner meeting to ensure all the voters had reached Mumbai city.
AICC general secretary in charge of Maharashtra Mohan Prakash who arrived here as an observer addressed the meeting of Congress MLAs. Parliamentary affairs minister Harshawardhan Patil explained the technicalities of open election. As per amended rules, the rajya sabha elections are no more by secrete ballots and voters have to show their ballot paper to the whips appointed by the party.
Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan , deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar , MPCC president Manikrao Thakare and NCP state president Madhukar Pichad were present during the final joint meeting.
Thakare claimed that the independents have attended the joint meeting held at the Y.B.Chavan Centre and would vote for the Congress candidate. Sources said that Chavan has agreed to approve some of the pending proposals put forth by the independents to guarantee their support.
The Shiv Sena-BJP alliance has put up former MLA Bal Mane on behalf of BJP. Since the Congress has 82 and the NCP 62 MLAs with a support of 23 independents in 288 member house , the Congress-NCP is confident of win as the Shiv Sena has 45 while the BJP has 46 MLAs and support from one independent MLA.