RS nominees from Maharashtra

MUMBAI, MARCH 15: Thespain Dilip Kumar, Union Law Minister Ram Jethmalani, Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Nirupam, RPI’s R S Gavavi, BJP’s Bal Apte, NCP’s Praful Patel and independent Jawaharlal Goyal are in fray for the March 29 biennial elections to the six seats of the Rajya Sabha.

Congress has supported the candidature of Dilip Kumar and Gavai while Goyal and Jethmalani have filed their papers as independents. There were apprehensions about the nomination of Goyal after four independent legislators, who supported his candidature, backtracked saying they were not supporting him.

Returning Officer A N Kalse, after hearing the objections raised by Nirupam and Gavai against Goyal’s nomination for two-and-half hours, cleared the latter’s nomination papers.

Legislators Badamrao Pandit, Vasant Itkelwar, Digambar Bagal and Gangaram Thakkerwad had earlier signed on Goyal’s nomination papers but later claimed that their signatures were taken on a blank form.