Senior leader of the Shiv Sena (UBT), Sanjay Raut, on Thursday said the party was unable to field Priyanka Chaturvedi for re-election to the Rajya Sabha due to unfavourable political arithmetic and the candidature of Sharad Pawar, reported news agency PTI.
Raut explained that although there was strong support within the party for Chaturvedi to return to the Upper House of Parliament, the Shiv Sena (UBT) did not have the required numbers in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly to successfully contest the seat.
Political arithmetic worked against Sena (UBT)
Speaking to reporters, Raut said the party leadership was keen to give Chaturvedi another opportunity in the Rajya Sabha but was constrained by the numbers needed to secure a victory.
“There was a wish in the party that Priyanka Chaturvedi should return to the Rajya Sabha, but the required numbers were not there. With a senior leader like Pawar saheb in the fray, we had to take this decision,” he said, reported PTI.
Raut added that the political calculations changed significantly after Pawar’s candidature emerged, making it difficult for the Shiv Sena (UBT) to pursue the seat.
He noted that if the situation had been different, the party would have certainly contested the election and backed Chaturvedi.
“Had the political arithmetic worked out and Pawar did not contest, then the Sena (UBT) would have 100 per cent fought the seat and given Chaturvedi another opportunity,” Raut said, reported PTI.
Congress backs Sharad Pawar as MVA candidate
Seven Rajya Sabha seats from Maharashtra are set to fall vacant next month, prompting intense political negotiations among parties.
On Wednesday, the Indian National Congress announced its support for Pawar as the opposition candidate from the Maha Vikas Aghadi for the lone seat expected to be won by the alliance.
The announcement ended days of speculation over which leader would be fielded by the alliance, as all three partners — Congress, the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction) and the Shiv Sena (UBT) — had staked claim to the seat.
BJP fields four candidates for Rajya Sabha polls
Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party has fielded four candidates for the biennial Rajya Sabha elections from Maharashtra.
The party’s nominees include its national general secretary Vinod Tawde and Union minister Ramdas Athawale, among others.
Raut said Athawale’s renomination was largely expected, given his existing presence in the Rajya Sabha and his alliance with the ruling coalition, reported PTI.
However, he described Tawde’s candidature as noteworthy, pointing out that the BJP leader had worked extensively to strengthen the party organisation in recent years.
Tawde’s nomination seen as reward for organisational work
According to Raut, Tawde’s nomination could be viewed as recognition of his efforts in building the party’s organisational network after he was denied a ticket to contest the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly elections, reported PTI.
“He has worked for strengthening the organisation during that period. His nomination to the Rajya Sabha appears to be a reward for those efforts,” Raut said, reported PTI.
Mahayuti alliance holds numerical advantage
In the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly, the ruling Mahayuti alliance — comprising the BJP, the Nationalist Congress Party and the Shiv Sena — commands more than 230 MLAs.
Given this strength, the alliance is well-positioned to secure the election of all its nominees, while the NCP and Shiv Sena factions are expected to nominate one candidate each.
The Rajya Sabha members from Maharashtra whose six-year terms are ending in April include Sharad Pawar, Ramdas Athawale, Fauzia Khan, Rajni Patil, Priyanka Chaturvedi, and BJP MPs Dhananjay Mahadik and Bhagwat Karad.
Polling for the Rajya Sabha elections will be held on March 16 between 9 am and 4 pm, with counting scheduled to begin at 5 pm on the same day.
Based on the current strength in the assembly, the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi is likely to secure only one seat, while the Mahayuti alliance could win six out of the seven seats, unless cross-voting or strategic vote transfers under the preferential voting system alter the outcome.
(With inputs from PTI)
