Ahead of the election for seven Rajya Sabha seats in the State on March 26, the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) is expected to bag four seats, while the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is likely to get three.
The Election Commission of India on Tuesday announced the poll schedule as the term of office of 55 members of the Rajya Sabha elected from 17 States is set to expire on their retirement on April 2020. Of the 55, Maharashtra has seven, the most number of MPs.
Those who will be retiring are Hussain Dalwai from Congress; Amar Sable, Sanjay Kakde and Ramdas Athawale from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Sharad Pawar and Majid Memon from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP); and Rajkumar Dhoot from the Shiv Sena. The quota to elect one Rajya Sabha MP is 37 MLAs.
According to existing party positions in the Assembly, the MVA government has the support of 169 MLAs, while the BJP with 105 MLAs claim to have the support of more than six Independents. “In case both sides decide not to pitch the eighth candidate, the Rajya Sabha poll will happen unopposed. But if the MVA decides to put a fifth candidate, there will be an election,” said a senior official in the Assembly. The election is held openly with issuance of a whip to prevent horse-trading.
As of now, the NCP has confirmed that it will renominate Mr. Pawar and has sought the second seat for the MVA. Neither the Congress nor the Sena has announced their respective candidates. Senior NCP leader Nawab Malik said the decision on second candidate will be made soon.
BJP yet to finalise names
Former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said the BJP is yet to finalise the names of all three candidates.
According to sources, Mr. Athawale, Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, is likely to be renominated in a bid to present a Dalit face.
