MUMBAI: With its superior performance in the assembly polls, the Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra is all set to send six nominees to the Rajya Sabha (RS) against the outgoing three in the elections to be held on March 16. With only one nominee expected to be elected from the three opposition parties, the candidate’s name will depend on a decision taken by NCP founder Sharad Pawar, who is among the seven outgoing RS members.
Of the seven outgoing MPs, three—Bhagwat Karad, Dhairyashil Patil and Ramdas Athawale—are from the Mahayuti. Of the rest, Sharad Pawar and Fauziya Khan are from the NCP (SP), Rajani Patil from the Congress and Priyanka Chaturvedi from the Shiv Sena (UBT). The RS nominees are elected from among members of the assembly—and given its strength in the lower house, the Mahayuti is in a position to easily win six of the seven seats.
Based on the total number of existing MLAs in the lower house, each seat needs 36 votes to win. With a strength of 136, including independents and smaller parties extending support to it, the BJP could win four, and the Shiv Sena (59 seats) and NCP (40 seats) could win one seat each.
Of the outgoing BJP MPs, former union minister Bhagwat Karad and incumbent union minister Ramdas Athawale are expected to be renominated. The BJP is also likely to consider Dhairyashil Patil for renomination, as he has been in the RS for only 20 months, having been elected in the biennial election. The Shiv Sena is expected to nominate its national general secretary Rahul Shewale, who lost the Lok Sabha election in May 2024. The NCP could pick either Parth Pawar or party general secretary Avinash Adik for the seat.
The opposition Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) will lose three RS seats because of its dwindling strength in the assembly. Of its constituents, the Shiv Sena (UBT) has 20 MLAs, the Congress 16 and the NCP (SP) 10. The MVA is likely to win only one seat, that too by ensuring that its members do not cross-vote.
Who this is remains to be seen. “If Sharad Pawar (85) decides to serve one more term in the upper house, the opposition alliance will nominate him to the Rajya Sabha unanimously,” said a Congress leader. “But if he decides to retire from elective politics, the Congress may demand the seat. The Shiv Sena (UBT) will not stake a claim despite having the highest number on the opposition benches, as it wants party chief Uddhav Thackeray to be renominated to the legislative council in April. The party will need support from its allies for this, and hence has decided to support the alliance candidate in the RS polls this time.”
When asked, Fauziya Khan, outgoing NCP MP, said, “I am not aware who the opposition candidate will be, as such decisions are taken by the top leadership.”
According to a BJP leader, the RS elections are generally held unopposed and with the clear mandate of the numbers in the assembly. The tradition is expected to continue this time as well.