Mumbai: The approaching elections to the Rajya Sabha and the Maharashtra Legislative Council have set off a flurry of political activity within the Opposition’s Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), with signs of a brewing tussle among its three constituents the Shiv Sena (UBT), the Congress, and the NCP (SP).
Seven Rajya Sabha seats from Maharashtra are due to fall vacant. Of these, two currently belong to the Congress, one to the Sena (UBT), and another to NCP founder Sharad Pawar. Since Rajya Sabha elections are decided by MLAs, and given the NDA’s commanding victory in the 2024 Maharashtra assembly elections, six of the seven seats are widely expected to go to the ruling alliance. That leaves the Opposition realistically competing for just one seat.
Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray is reportedly planning a visit to Delhi to hold discussions with the Congress high command over seat allocation. Sources have also indicated that the NCP (SP) has been kept out of preliminary consultations, fuelling speculation about the internal dynamics of the Opposition bloc.
Elections for 37 Rajya Sabha seats across 10 states are scheduled for March 16. Among the Maharashtra MPs whose terms expire this year are NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar, Sena (UBT)’s Priyanka Chaturvedi, and Congress members Dr Fauzia Tahseen Ahmed Khan and Rajani Ashokrao Patil. The remaining three retiring members are from the NDA BJP’s Dr Bhagwat Kishanrao Karad and Dhairyashil, and NDA ally Ramdas Bandu Athawale.
With 36 votes required to secure each of the seven seats, and the MVA holding a combined tally of 46 MLAs in the 288-member Maharashtra assembly Sena (UBT) with 20, Congress with 16, and NCP (SP) with 10 the Opposition alliance can comfortably win one Rajya Sabha seat.
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Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut has maintained that the allies will resolve the matter through mutual consultation. Earlier, Aditya Thackeray, son of Uddhav Thackeray, argued that the Rajya Sabha seat should go to the Sena (UBT) based on its strength in the assembly. The Congress subsequently staked its own claim, stating that it should receive either a Rajya Sabha seat or a legislative council seat.
Raut, however, sought to downplay the reported friction. “Initial differences are normal. After all, this is politics. But we will decide by consultation. Congress’s decision is taken in Delhi, while ours and NCP (SP)’s decision is taken in Mumbai. A lot will depend on Sharad Pawar’s future plans,” he said.
Beyond the Rajya Sabha, nine legislative council seats are also set to become vacant, one of which is held by Uddhav Thackeray himself. Each of these nine seats requires 29 votes to win. With 46 MLAs combined, the MVA can again win one council seat comfortably. While the Congress has said it expects either a Rajya Sabha or a council berth, the Sena (UBT) has asserted that Uddhav Thackeray’s stature as a party chief strengthens its claim to the council seat as well.
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