Will Sharad and Parth Pawar go to Rajya Sabha from Maharashtra?

Mumbai: Will two members of the Pawar family - NCP (SP) supremo and patriarch Sharad Pawar and grand-nephew Parth Pawar - go to the Rajya Sabha from Maharashtra?

The Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) has yet to formally decide on the candidature and is awaiting Sharad Pawar's final word.

As the chief architect of the marquee opposition alliance, Sharad Pawar commands tremendous respect among allies—the Maharashtra unit of Congress and the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) - and so far, no one else is in the picture.

On the other hand, it is almost certain that the late Deputy Chief Minister and NCP President Ajit Pawar’s elder son Parth Pawar will be sent to the Rajya Sabha from the ruling BJP-led Maha Yuti.

On this, Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar has held discussions with NCP Working President Praful Patel and state NCP President Sunil Tatkare.

The NCP leadership will also hold discussions with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who calls the shots for the BJP, and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, the Shiv Sena chief leader, before formally making the announcement.

Besides, the NCP is also working to anoint Sunetra Pawar as the NCP National President in the weeks to come.

If Sharad Pawar and Parth Pawar go to the Rajya Sabha together, it would be a record of a grandfather and grand-nephew from Maharashtra serving together in the Upper House of Parliament.

Besides, Parth Pawar would be a third-generation Parliamentarian from the Pawar-family after Sharad Pawar, his daughter Supriya Sule and Sunetra Pawar, currently a Rajya Sabha member.

Maharashtra’s political circles are abuzz with activities ahead of the 16 March 2026 biennial elections to the Rajya Sabha, which will send seven members from this western Indian state.

The electoral college comprises the 288-member Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.

The last date for filing nominations has been fixed as 5 March, while scrutiny of nomination papers will take place on 6 March.

Candidates will be allowed to withdraw their nominations until 9 March.

The seven retiring members of the Rajya Sabha include four from MVA - Sharad Pawar and and NCP (SP)’s Fauzia Khan, Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Priyanka Chaturvedi and Congress party’s Rajani Patil while the three from Maha Yuti are BJP’s Dhairyashil Mohan Patil and Bhagwat Karad, RPI (A) chief and Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale.

In the House of 288 (current strength 286), the Maha Yuti’s strength is BJP 131 MLAs (after the death of Shivajirao Kardile), Shiv Sena (57) and the NCP 40 (after Ajit Pawar’s death) plus support of JSS (2), RSPS (1), RSPA (1), RSYP (1) and Independent 1.

On the other hand, the MVA and the full opposition strength include Shiv Sena (UBT) 20, Congress 16, NCP (SP) 10, CPI (M) 1, PWP (1), SP (2) and AIMIM (1).

In the current arithmetic, the quota of 37 votes is needed to go to Rajya Sabha and the MVA has a strength only to get elected one member as against the ruling Maha Yuti’s 6.

As far as the BJP is concerned, it is expected to renominate Athawale, the time-tested ally who has a mass-following in the Dalit community.

The MVA allies will hold talks in the next couple of days and finalize the candidature.

Thackeray’s aide and Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut is batting for Sharad Pawar. This move has a political bearing as Uddhav Thackeray’s term as member of Maharashtra Legislative Council ends in May 2026 - and for the April biennial elections, support of NCP (SP) is needed.

On the other hand, Congress has remained silent until the three allies formally come to the table.

For the Maha Vikas Aghadi, a Rajya Sabha entry for Sharad Pawar (85) would signal continuity of leadership within the INDIA opposition bloc at a time when it is grappling with internal churn and organisational rebuilding.

For the Maha Yuti, backing Parth Pawar (35) is viewed as a strategic attempt to consolidate the NDA's influence within Western Maharashtra and expand generational representation in Parliament and stand by Ajit Pawar's family in the time of crisis.