Six RS MPs from state to retire in April

Six Rajya Sabha MPs from Maharashtra, including Narayan Rane and Prakash Javadekar, will retire on April 2. There are speculations that Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena will try to send Milind Deora to the Upper House. The BJP and Congress are unlikely to renominate some of their MPs, while the Sena and NCP are not in a position to re-elect their MPs due to reduced strength after party splits. The ruling alliance is expected to gain two seats. The biennial elections for the six RS seats from Maharashtra are expected to be announced in the last week of February.

MUMBAI: Six Rajya Sabha MPs from Maharashtra, including union minister Narayan Rane, senior BJP leaders V Muralidharan and Prakash Javadekar, Sena MP Anil Desai, the NCP’s Vandana Chavan and the Congress’ Kumar Ketkar will retire on April 2 this year. With senior Congress leader Milind Deora joining the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, there are speculations that Shinde will try to send him to the Upper House.

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From the BJP camp, there is no confirmation on the renomination of any of its MPs except for Murlidharan; indeed, there is a question mark over whether the party will renominate Rane and Javdekar. The Congress too is unlikely to renominate Ketkar, while the Sena (UBT) and NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) are not in a position to re-elect their MPs due to their reduced strength after the split in their parties.

The loss of the Sena (UBT) and NCP (Sharad Pawar) will result in the gain of two seats for the state’s ruling parties. The combined strength of the ruling alliance is over 200 MLAs, a large part of the electoral college that elects Rajya Sabha candidates. The biennial elections for the six RS seats from Maharashtra are expected to be announced in the last week of February according to officials from the state wing of the Election Commission.

Another senior BJP leader said that new names were likely to come up from the BJP for the RS. “Vinay Sahastrabuddhe was interested in being renominated to the Upper House, but since he has been appointed president of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, he has missed the bus,” he said. “There could be a couple of other loyalists, including Vinod Tawde, who could be nominated to the RS, while Muralidharan is expected to be re-nominated by the BJP.” Maharashtra has 19 RS members elected from the state.

In the Ajit Pawar-led NCP, there are speculations that Ajit’s son, Parth, could be sent to the Rajya Sabha. “Ajitdada will need a trusted person for maintaining relations with the BJP and other allies in Delhi,” said an Ajit faction minister. “Since MP Sunil Tatkare is busy handling party affairs as state president, a Rajya Sabha MP will be entrusted with the task. Parth could fit the bill.”

The parties are expected to handpick leaders from the communities that could help them in the Lok Sabha polls that will be held immediately after the RS polls. The RS polls are expected to be held in the second week of March while the Lok Sabha polls are likely to be held from the first week of April.