Cong, NCP likely to join hands for Council polls in Maharashtra

The Congress and the NCP are likely to join hands to contest the forthcoming Legislative Council elections for 11 seats from local bodies, graduates and teachers constituencies.

The term of the members from these seats ends on December 5. Of the total 11 seats, NCP has the maximum five, while Congress, BJP and Independents have two each.

Prominent among the 11 retiring members is Minister of State for Home Ranjit Patil of BJP. Preliminary talks between leaders of both the parties were held before the Ganpati festival where it was decided to ally for the polls.

"NCP and Congress will contest the seats where they have sitting MLCs. One more meeting will take place to finalise the seat sharing," NCP spokesman Nawab Malik said.

The NCP has sitting members in teachers constituency of Aurangabad, and local bodies constituencies in Sangli Satara, Bhandara-Gondia local bodies, Yavatmal and Pune.

Congress has Nashik graduates and Nanded Local bodies, BJP has Jalgaon local bodies and Amravati graduates, while two Independents hold Nagpur teachers and Konkan teachers seats.