MUMBAI: With the opposition Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) likely to secure just one of the seven Rajya Sabha seats in the March 16 biennial elections, senior leaders within the alliance appear inclined to back Sharad Pawar, 85, whose current term in the Upper House ends on April 2.
Though Pawar and his party, the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar), have maintained silence on whether he will seek another term, insiders suggest he may agree to contest, provided he is elected unopposed.
Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday indicated that elections may not be necessary if the opposition fields only one candidate. “It is certain that six of the seven seats will be won by the Mahayuti comprising BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP. The remaining one seat will go to the opposition and they will have to decide who wants to take it,” Fadnavis said in New Delhi.
His remarks signal that the ruling alliance is open to an uncontested election if the opposition limits itself to a single nominee. The BJP is poised to win four of the seven seats.
A senior Congress leader said the party would step aside if Pawar decides to contest. “The Congress will not stake claim to the seat if Sharad Pawar is ready. National politics needs a leader of his stature,” the leader said, adding that no formal indication has yet come from Pawar.
In November 2024, while addressing a gathering in Baramati, Pawar had hinted that he may not seek re-election when his term ends in April 2026, signalling a gradual retreat from parliamentary politics. However, party insiders now say the political landscape has shifted. With the NCP (SP) navigating one of its weakest phases, any signal of Pawar stepping back could dampen cadre morale. The changed circumstances, they believe, may prompt him to reconsider, especially as all three MVA constituents appear broadly agreeable to his candidature.
Sanjay Raut of the Shiv Sena (UBT) claimed Pawar was keen to return to the Rajya Sabha. “When I spoke to him, Sharad Pawar told me he wants to go to the Rajya Sabha again. The issue will be discussed within the MVA,” Raut said on Thursday.
However, Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray asserted that the seat rightfully belongs to his party. Party insiders, though, indicated that the leadership may ultimately back Pawar if he enters the fray.
Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal emphasised unity within the alliance, while Congress spokesperson Atul Londhe said the party should secure at least one seat, either in the Rajya Sabha or the legislative council.
The calculus is complicated by impending bypolls to nine legislative council seats. Uddhav Thackeray is among those whose MLC term ends on May 13, and Raut has already hinted that Thackeray may seek re-election to the Upper House of the state legislature. Congress leaders fear that backing Pawar for the Rajya Sabha could mean conceding a council seat to Thackeray.
For now, the NCP (SP) is keeping its cards close to its chest. Party chief spokesperson Mahesh Tapase said the final call rests solely with Pawar. “Neither Pawar saheb nor senior leaders have commented on the Rajya Sabha election. The decision will be taken by saheb himself. We will speak once the picture is clear,” Tapase said.