Based on the strength of the legislators, three nominees of BJP, one each from the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party and Congress is quite certain for the upcoming Rajya Sabha election slated for February 27 for six seats. However, the big losers will be Sharad Pawar-led NCP and Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (UBT), as both lack numbers following a split in their respective parties.
The quota for the election for these seats will be 41.01 as there are 287 members of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly following the death of BJP legislator Govardhan Sharma.
The outgoing members, whose term ends in April this year, included Narayan Rane, V Murlidharan and Prakash Jawadekar (BJP), Kumar Ketkar (Congress), Vandana Chavan (NCP) and Anil Desai (Shiv Sena UBT).
Sources said that considering the party-wise strength, the election to six seats is expected to be unopposed. BJP, with 104 legislators supported by 13 independents and smaller parties, can easily win three seats. As far as Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena is concerned, it can win one seat considering its 40 legislators supported by ten independents. In contrast, a Congress nominee with 44 legislators can easily win. Ajit Pawar-led NCP has claimed the support of 43 of the 53 legislators, and therefore, its nominee can quickly emerge victorious.
Although Shiv Sena UBT, with 15 legislators, and Sharad Pawar-led NCP, with 10 legislators, decided to field their candidate, it would not be easy to meet the quota of 41.01. Therefore, both will lose their seats in the upper house.
BJP may spring surprises in giving nominations, though party insiders said that union minister Narayan Rane may repeat if he is not inclined to contest the Lok Sabha election from the Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg seat. Jawadekar, who has been made Kerala poll in charge, may not be renominated as he may have to focus on party organisational work there. The decision on the renomination of Union Minister of State V Muralidharan, who hails from Kerala, is expected to be taken by the BJP’s central leadership.
Sources in the BJP indicate that former minister Vinod Tawde may be considered for the Rajya Sabha seat. However, Tawde’s close associates have rejected such a possibility, especially when he has been involved in pursuing the party’s Mission 400 plus in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
In the case of Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, former union minister of state and Congress leader Milind Deora, who recently joined the party, is the serious contender. Interestingly, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar’s son Parth Pawar, who previously lost the Lok Sabha election from the Maval seat, may be considered for the nomination.
Congress may not repeat sitting MP Kumar Ketkar but give the nomination to someone else. There is a buzz in the party that the NSUI president, Kanaiah Kumar, could get the candidature.
If the voting takes place for the upcoming election, the Shiv Sena UBT must follow the whip issued by the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. However, it will become a legal matter as the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar, in his recent order on disqualification petitions, had upheld the appointment of legislator Bharat Gogawale as the chief whip and ruled that his whip will have to be followed by legislators of Shiv Sena UBT. Shiv Sena UBT legislators cannot vote against the whip in such a scenario.
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