Maha Council: Chairman, his deputy, LoP to retire same year

For the first time in history of Maharashtra Legislative Council, Chairman, Deputy Chairman and the Leader of Opposition will be retiring in the same year in this June and July.
The terms of Chairman Ramraje Naik Nimbalkar and LoP Dhananjay Munde will end on July 7, whereas, Deputy Chairman Vasant Davkhare's term will end on June 8.
With opposition Congress and NCP combine's performance in the Council and their ability to keep a check on the ruling allies, Congress might allow NCP to contest for the two seats in the upcoming polls from the Assembly members constituency.
There are a total of 10 members, elected from the MLA constituency, who are set to retire this year. Out of these, two are from Congress, three from NCP and two each from Shiv Sena and the BJP along with an Independent (supported by the Congress).

NCP said it wants the support of Congress for them to retain the two constitutional posts.
"We want the chairman (Nimbalkar) and the LoP (Munde) to be re-elected in the House and we are having a dialogue with Congress on it," NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik said.

A senior Congress leader requesting anonymity, however, said it will be difficult for it to support its former ally as NCP had brought a no-confidence motion against Shivajirao Deshmukh, then chairman of the Council House, who had to resign from the office.
"It is difficult for us to support the NCP now," he said.

Another office bearer of the AICC claimed that though the decision is up to the Congress high command, the party might not oppose NCP's bid to retain the two posts as both the parties have performed aggressively against the BJP and Shiv Sena in the last two assembly sessions.
"If we hurt NCP now, it may have an effect on the upcoming sessions," he said.