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Vinod Tawde, Ramdas Athawale lead BJP list for Rajya Sabha polls
Based on party strength in the Maharashtra Assembly, the BJP can get four candidates elected, and allies Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) one each.
National general secretary Vinod Tawde and Union minister Ramdas Athawale
With a dozen aspirants for four seats, the BJP has reportedly arrived at a consensus on two names for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections—national general secretary Vinod Tawde and Union minister Ramdas Athawale. Their names top the list of candidates forwarded for central approval, party sources said, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
Other probable contenders include National Commission for Women chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar, former Union minister Raosaheb Danve, and former Lok Sabha MP Pritam Munde. The names of Danve and Munde were reportedly added following pressure from certain quarters on the Marathwada region deserving representation.
The Rajya Sabha elections are scheduled to be held on March 16. The terms of seven Rajya Sabha MPs from Maharashtra will end in April. The members of the state Legislative Assembly exercise their votes to elect the Rajya Sabha candidate. The quota required for an individual candidate to get elected is 36. Based on party strength in the Assembly, the BJP can get four candidates elected, and allies Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) one each. The lone seventh seat will go to the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).
At the BJP’s core committee meeting held Wednesday night, the party passed a one-line resolution authorising Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to take all decisions related to the Rajya Sabha polls.
On Thursday, several aspirants, including party office-bearers and those who lost the Lok Sabha elections in 2024, were seen making the rounds, trying to meet Fadnavis, state BJP president Ravindra Chavan and other senior leaders, to push their candidature in the Rajya Sabha elections.
“As the BJP grows, it also fuels the aspirations of individuals seeking a share in power or the government. But there are seat limitations, so everybody’s wish cannot be fulfilled,” a party source said, adding that factors like caste and regional composition will also be factored in.
“Tawde is likely to be rewarded with a Rajya Sabha seat for his overall performance in the central team. He played an important role in the Bihar Assembly elections twice,” a source said. Tawde is currently the election in-charge for poll-bound Kerala.
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After the 2014 elections, Athawale was rewarded with a Rajya Sabha seat. In 2016, he was made Union minister of state for social justice and empowerment in the Narendra Modi government. In 2020, Athawale got a second term in the Rajya Sabha, which will end in April.
The Opposition’s conundrum
The Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi appears divided on its candidate for the lone Rajya Sabha seat. The Shiv Sena (UBT) has 20 MLAs, the Congress 16, and the NCP (SP) 10. “Ideally, the Congress and the Shiv Sena (UBT), who make up for 36 seats, should have the upper hand. We suggested the Rajya Sabha seat should come to the Congress, and in return, we will support them to get Uddhav Thackeray elected as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA). However, a section within the Shiv Sena (UBT) led by Sanjay Raut has strongly rooted for Sharad Pawar’s candidature,” a senior Congress leader said.
The seven MPs from Maharashtra whose tenure in the Upper House will end in April are Sharad Pawar (NCP (SP)), Bhagwat Karad (BJP), Fauzia Khan (NCP-SP), Priyanka Chaturvedi (Shiv Sena (UBT)), Dhairyasheel Patil (BJP), Rajani Patil (Congress), and Ramdas Athawale (RPI). All the MPs’ tenures will end on April 2.
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