Maharashtra’s Poll Outcome Puts Rajya Sabha Ambitions of Pawar, Chaturvedi, and Raut in Jeopardy
Maharashtra’s Poll Outcome Puts Rajya Sabha Ambitions of Pawar, Chaturvedi, and Raut in Jeopardy
Due to insufficient backing from their parties, NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar, along with Shiv Sena (UBT) members Priyanka Chaturvedi and Sanjay Raut, is unlikely to secure a return to the Rajya Sabha.
Pawar and Chaturvedi, elected for six-year terms on April 3, 2020, will complete their terms by April 3, 2026. Sanjay Raut, who was elected on July 22, 2022, will finish his term by July 22, 2028.
With limited support from both NCP (SP) and Shiv Sena (UBT), the chances of re-election for Pawar and Chaturvedi are low. Pawar has previously indicated that this would be his last term in the Rajya Sabha.
The Mahayuti coalition achieved a significant victory in the Maharashtra assembly elections, winning 235 seats and capturing 49.6 percent of the vote share, while the Opposition MVA secured only 49 seats with 35.3 percent.
This strong performance by the BJP-led alliance in Maharashtra enhances its prospects of gaining a majority in the Rajya Sabha, as the state contributes 19 members to the Upper House.
Currently, the BJP has seven seats in the Rajya Sabha, while Congress holds three, Shiv Sena has one, Shiv Sena (UBT) has two, NCP has three, NCP (Sharad Pawar) has two, and the Republican Party of India (Athawale) has one.
With 95 MPs in the Rajya Sabha, the BJP, along with its allies, totals 112, including six nominated members who support the ruling party.
Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra have the highest number of MPs in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
Although there are no immediate vacancies in Maharashtra, the Rajya Sabha has 10 vacancies from other states, and the BJP is anticipated to secure more than half of those. Furthermore, there are four vacancies for nominated members available.
These developments are expected to help the BJP-led alliance surpass the halfway mark in the 245-member house.
