All eyes on battles in Rajya Sabha polls in Maharashtra

The Rajya Sabha elections to Maharashtra is going to be interesting with NCP founder-President Sharad Pawar set to be re-nominated for yet another term. There could be some surprises and new faces as well.

For the March 26 polls to Rajya Sabha in 55 seats, spread across 17 states, the lion's share of seven is from Maharashtra.

The retiring members from Maharashtra are Sharad Pawar and Majeed Memon (NCP), Husain Dalwai (Congress) and Sanjay Kakde, Ramdas Athawale and Amar Sable (of BJP or BJP-sponsored) and Rajkumar Dhoot (Shiv Sena).

The electoral college for these seven seats is the 288-member Maharashtra Legislative Assembly. In the Lower House, the Shiv Sena has a strength of 56 followed by NCP (54) and Congress (44). The ruling Sena-NCP-Congress Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) comprises 170 members including members of smaller parties and independents.

The principal opposition, BJP, has 105 members and it has the support of 14 members from smaller parties and independents. The quota required to get one candidate elected is 41.

With the current strength, the BJP would be able to win three seats, while the Sena, NCP and Congress, all one seat each. There would be stiff competition for the seventh seat but MVA would have some spare votes.

As far as the BJP is concerned, since Athawale, the President of RPI (Athawale), is a minister in the Narendra Modi government, he would be given a second term. Besides, it had also assured a Rajya Sabha berth to Udayanraje Bhosale, the 13th descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj from the Satara royal family, who had switched over to the BJP after quitting the NCP. However, he lost the bypolls to NCP. The BJP will also have to accommodate former Minister of State for Home Hansraj Ahir, who lost the Lok Sabha elections from Chandrapur.

The Congress has one seat but too many claimants including sitting MP Husain Dalwai. Others in the race are stalwarts Mukul Wasnik, Rajeev Satav and Avinash Pande. In Dhoot's place, the Shiv Sena may nominate former minister Anant Geete. The surprise candidate could be Priyanka Chaturvedi, who had joined the Shiv Sena after quitting as Congress spokesperson.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has held meetings with Pawar and his nephew and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on the Rajya Sabha nominations. Last week, he had also met Congress President Sonia Gandhi and top leaders in New Delhi.

What is surprising is that RSS leader Bhaiyyaji Joshi has described Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis as "an ex-Chief Minister" for a short duration. There has also been reports that Fadnavis could join the Narendra Modi government at the Centre. It is to be seen who all the BJP nominates.