Presidential poll: Cong wooing MNS

Congress in Maharashtra is making all efforts to woo the Raj Thackeray-led MNS to back UPA nominee Pranab Mukherjee for the presidential poll tomorrow.

Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan is understood to have phoned Thackeray, seeking the support of MNS, which has 12 members in the 288-member Legislative Assembly. During his visit to Mumbai earlier this month, NDA-backed presidential candidate P A Sangma had also sought Raj Thackeray's support. However, Congress feels it would manage to get the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena boss' nod. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Harshwardhan Patil is holding talks with MNS leaders, sources said. The minister has also spoken to MNS MLA Bala Nandgaonkar.

Following is the party position in Assembly, where each vote has value of 175: Congress 82, Independents [with Congress] 12, Bahujan Republican Party 1, Swabhimani Paksha 1. NCP has 62, Independents (with NCP) 11, Rashtriya Samaj Party 1, Samajwadi Party 3, Peasants and Workers Party 4, Jansurajya Party 2, CPM 1. So, in all, 228 MLAs are with the UPA nominee.

On the other hand, Sangma is expected to get support of following members: BJP 47, Independent (Anil Gote). Total 48.

There are altogether 48 Lok Sabha and 19 Rajya Sabha members from Maharashtra. The value of an MP's vote is 708. Following is party position. Congress 17 LS, 6 RS; NCP 9 LS, 4 RS; Shiv Sena 11 LS, 3 RS;  Bahujan Vikas Aghadi 1; Independent [Sadashiv Mandlik] 1.