MUMBAI: Veteran politician Sharad Pawar has thrown his hat for Rajya Sabha member election scheduled on March 16 this year.
Though Pawar had earlier announced that he is not keen on competing for the Rajya Sabha seat again, the demise of his nephew Ajit Pawar and the halting of NCP merger talks have seemingly changed his decision.
The senior leader needs the support of Congress and Shiv Sena to get the 37 votes needed to secure a RS seat.
As per the Election Commission of India, 37 seats of the Rajya Sabha have been vacated, including seven from Maharashtra.
As per the present strength of the respective parties and alliances, the Mahayuti is in a comfortable position to elect six seats with the support of 228 MLAs, while the Maha Vikas Agadhi with 46 MLAs can elect only one seat in the RS.
In Mahayuti, the BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP, respectively, can implement the 4-1-1 formula or 3-2-1 for Rajya Sabha members' nominations.
The MVA's sole seat is being eyed by the Congress too. Maharashtra spokesperson Atul Londed Patil, on the other hand, demanded that since the Congress is the second largest party in MVA, it must be given either the RS seat or the MLC.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said that Sharad Pawar is keen to go to Rajya Sabha once again, and he is the architect of MVA therefore the Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) should extend all support to him.
Sources in NCP SP confirmed that Sharad Pawar was mentally prepared to step down from active politics by not running again in the Rajya Sabha.
“Sharad Pawar earlier planned to pass the mantle of both parties to his nephew Ajit Pawar, but due to the absence of his nephew, Sharad Pawar could not abandon his party and leave it in a lurch. His presence and activeness in Delhi and state politics are important; therefore Pawar changed his mind and showed readiness for the Rajya Sabha election, but he has a task to pursue the Congress leadership, and we are confident that he will do it successfully,” said a source who requested anonymity.