The BJP has fielded Union minister Piyush Goyal, as well as its senior leaders Anil Bonde and Dhananjay Mahadik for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections to six seats from Maharashtra.
The BJP has enough votes to win two seats on its own. The Congress, the Shiv Sena and the NCP can win one seat each on their own and will together have surplus votes to win another seat. The Shiv Sena is banking on these surplus votes to win its second seat.
With the BJP fielding three candidates and the MVA fielding four, there will be a tight fight for the sixth seat.
The Congress and the NCP have decided to field one candidate each, leaving the grand old party with just two extra votes and the Sharad Pawar-led party with 12. The Congress has nominated Imran Pratapgarhi while the NCP’s pick is senior leader Praful Patel.
The Shiv Sena, which has fielded two candidates — Sanjay Raut and Sanjay Pawar — has 56 members in the House and will require 26 additional votes to send its second candidate to the Upper House.
While Goyal’s renomination for the Upper House was on expected lines, the candidatures of Anil Bonde and Dhananjay Mahadik have come as a surprise.
The Indian Express quoted sources in the BJP saying that Mahadik has been fielded to give tough competition to Shiv Sena candidate Sanjay Pawar.
Mahadik, who hails from Kolhapur, is considered popular and resourceful. The BJP believes he will give a tough fight to Sena’s Pawar though. The latter is also from Kolhapur.
The elections for the six Rajya Sabha seats from Maharashtra will take place on June 10. The last date for filing nominations is May 30.