Maharashtra: Maratha Kranti Morcha to meet today, discuss Sambhajiraje’s Rajya Sabha candidature

“Shiv Sena’s move to pressurise Sambhajiraje to join their party if he wants support for Rajya Sabha seat has not gone well with MKM. It is being perceived as blackmail,” an MKM coordinator said.

Shiv Sena wants Sambhajiraje to meet Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and pledge commitment to Shiv Sena by tying a ‘shivbandhan’, a saffron thread reaffirming his commitment.

While elections for six Rajya Sabha seats are scheduled to be held on June 10, the last date of filing nomination is May 31.

A candidate contesting the Rajya Sabha polls in Maharashtra requires the votes of 41 members in the state legislative assembly. There are 288 members in the state assembly – BJP 105, Congress 44, NCP 54, Shiv Sena 56 and others 29.

With 105 seats, BJP can get its two candidates elected and is willing to transfer the surplus 23 votes to Sambhajiraje. Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena can get one candidate each elected based on their numbers. The surplus votes of these three parties, which adds up to 31, can be transferred to Sambhajiraje.

Sambhajiraje is the 13th direct descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and great grandson of Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj. He hails from Kolhapur. His Rajya Sabha tenure ended in May.