“Simply yesterday, Jayant Patil (senior MLA of Sharad Pawar-led NCP) and Shashikant Shinde (state president of the celebration) spoke to Uddhavji (Uddhav Thackeray) on this subject. I’ve requested time,” Sule mentioned, including that he had personally requested Anil Desai and Sanjay Raut of Thackeray’s Shiv Occasion, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha respectively. Senna.
“I’ve personally requested them to assist us ship Pawarsaheb to Rajya Sabha. Our MLAs additionally met all Congress leaders on this regard yesterday and also will meet the Congress management in Delhi if mandatory,” Sule mentioned, including that his 85-year-old father has 60 years of political expertise and celebration leaders consider he ought to take the initiative ahead.
Voting for the 37 Rajya Sabha seats throughout the nation will probably be held on March 16. Seven of those seats are from Maharashtra. The seven incumbent members of the Rajya Sabha in Maharashtra are scheduled to finish their phrases in April 2026. Apart from Pawar, others embrace Fauziya Khan of Sharad Pawar-led NCP, Priyanka Chaturvedi of Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena, Rajani Patil of Congress, Ramdas Athavar and Bhagwat Karad of Republican Occasion of India (RPI). Daryashir Patil, from the Bharatiya Janata Occasion (BJP).
All eyes had been on Sharad Pawar, the MVA’s chief designer. He has expressed his intention to retire from lively politics a number of instances previously, however has by no means adopted by way of. Nevertheless, his attainable candidacy has made the MVA celebration much more urgent for his or her seat.
MVA tug of battle
Not one of the three events within the MVA have the numbers to elect candidates on their very own. Thackeray’s Shiv Sena has 20 seats, Congress 16 and Sharad Pawar’s NCP 10. With their mixed efforts, the MVA can simply elect only one Rajya Sabha member.
On the identical day that Mr. Sule mentioned he would attempt to construct a consensus throughout the MVA on Sharad Pawar’s candidature, Mr. Thackeray’s Shiv Sena MLA Aaditya Thackeray reiterated the celebration’s declare for the one Rajya Sabha seat that the MVA may nominate, saying it was a “logical, political and technical argument” and one based mostly on reality and ideas.
In a veiled remark, he additionally hinted that the political stand of the Sharad Pawar-led NCP is completely different from that of the MVA.
“In case you have a look at the MVA now, the issues we’re elevating our voices in opposition to embrace the Adanikaran case in Mumbai, Maharashtra, Dharavi, and assaults on the Structure of India. The battle that we and the Congress are combating is evident,” Thackeray Jr mentioned.
“Our two Rajya Sabha MPs as a part of the Indian bloc within the Parliament, I do not know who else. Some have resigned, some have (supported) Adani. However our two MPs are firmly with the Congress. I do not know who’s within the Indian bloc within the nation now, however the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) continues to struggle,” he added.
The Worli MLA mentioned the MVA has all the time adopted the precept of home power for energy sharing and judging from the present power of the Home, Thackeray’s Shiv Sena has gained extra seats than different members of the MVA. Subsequently, all 20 MLAs need the candidates to go to Rajya Sabha, he mentioned.
He additionally added that this isn’t private and subjectively he has plenty of respect for Sharad Pawar.
“The one query now could be who has probably the most seats and who has the loudest voice in Rajya Sabha. It’s us,” Thackeray mentioned.
“I’m not speaking about my private opinion. I’m expressing the celebration’s opinion. As a person, after all I respect him (Sharad Pawar),” he added.
On Monday, Congress president Harshvardhan Sapkar additionally asserted that the Rajya Sabha seats had been secured and mentioned it was necessary for the Congress to extend its power within the higher home.
He urged that Thackeray’s Shiv Sena ought to re-elect Uddhav as an MLC within the Maharashtra higher home, whereas the Rajya Sabha seat ought to stay within the Congress.
Thackeray’s time period as MLC expires in Could 2026.
“The Congress has Mallikarjun Kharge, chief of the opposition in Rajya Sabha. Total, we should always have a look at this election from the attitude of how we will finest counter the BJP,” Sapkar mentioned.
Congress leaders additionally mentioned they had been cautious of merger talks with Ajit Pawar-led NCP and the Rajya Sabha seats going to Sharad Pawar-led NCP.
numbers sport
In response to the voting program introduced by the Election Fee, the final day to submit candidates is March fifth, however candidates can withdraw their nominations till March ninth. Votes will probably be counted from 5pm on March sixteenth after the voting closes.
Roughly talking, all candidates want a minimum of 37 votes to win. Within the 2024 meeting polls, the BJP gained 132 seats, Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena gained 57 seats, and Ajit Pawar’s NCP gained 41 seats on the ruling Mahayuti aspect. On the MVA aspect, Thackeray’s Shiv Sena acquired 20 votes, the Congress celebration acquired 16 votes and Sharad Pawar’s NCP acquired 10 votes.
Not one of the three MVA events has the numbers to elect candidates on their very own, however so far as the Mahayuti is anxious, the Bharatiya Janata Occasion, which has 132 seats within the meeting (now 131 with the demise of MLA Shivaji Kardir), can elect three to 4 Rajya Sabha MPs, whereas Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena can elect one with 57 seats and round 20 surplus votes. The Ajit Pawar-led NCP has 41 seats (at present 40 seats as a consequence of Ajit Pawar’s demise) and may elect one candidate, with three surplus votes.
(Edited by Vinny Mishra)
Additionally learn: Intra-party struggles resulted in an sudden tie between Mr. Mahayuti and the MVA in some seats. How did they survive in Maharashtra?
