Sharad Pawar’s Rajya Sabha move unclear as Parth Pawar’s name gains traction

The BJP held an important meeting of its core committee at the residence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday morning to decide its Rajya Sabha candidate, sources said.

The development comes after the Election Commission of India announced elections for 37 vacant Rajya Sabha seats in 10 states. Voting will be held on March 16, and the official notification will be issued on February 26, after which candidates can file nominations until March 5.

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In Maharashtra, based on current strength, the ruling Mahayuti alliance — comprising the Bharatiya Janata Party, Shiv Sena, and the Nationalist Congress Party — is poised to win six seats.

In contrast, the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), which includes the Indian National Congress, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction, and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP faction, may secure one seat.

According to a senior BJP leader, the party is likely to field four candidates, including current Rajya Sabha MP Ramdas Athawale. Other BJP leaders, such as Vinod Tawde, Vijaya Rahatkar, and Dhairyashil Patil, are also being discussed for the remaining seats.

However, there has been no clear indication whether veteran leader Sharad Pawar intends to return to the Rajya Sabha, fuelling political speculation.

At the same time, it is widely expected that Parth Pawar, son of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, may be nominated to the Rajya Sabha by the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance. Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar has reportedly held discussions with NCP Working President Praful Patel and Maharashtra NCP president Sunil Tatkare.

The Ajit Pawar-led NCP leadership is expected to consult Chief Minister Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde before formally announcing Parth Pawar’s candidature, sources said.

Speaking to the media, Sunil Tatkare said, “The notification for the Rajya Sabha elections will be issued on February 26. We will first elect the national president of our party, and then the candidate’s name will be finalised. There is a clear sentiment among party members in favour of Parth Pawar.”

Political observers are closely watching whether Sharad Pawar or his grandnephew Parth Pawar will enter the Rajya Sabha. If nominated, Parth Pawar would become a third-generation parliamentarian from the Pawar family, after Sharad Pawar and his daughter Supriya Sule.

The seven retiring Rajya Sabha members from Maharashtra include Sharad Pawar and Fauzia Khan from the NCP, Priyanka Chaturvedi from the Shiv Sena (Uddhav faction), and Rajani Patil from the Congress. From the ruling alliance, the retiring members include Dhairyashil Patil, Bhagwat Karad, and Ramdas Athawale.

Given that the quota required to win a Rajya Sabha seat is 37 votes, the opposition MVA currently has the strength to elect only one member, while the ruling Mahayuti alliance is positioned to send six MPs to the Upper House.

The BJP is expected to renominate Ramdas Athawale, a Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment and a long-time ally with a strong following among Dalit voters.

Meanwhile, the MVA allies are likely to hold discussions in the coming days to finalise their candidates.