Battle for 7 Rajya Sabha seats: Numbers favour Mahayuti, MVA remains divided
India Today
The contest for Maharashtra's seven Rajya Sabha seats has intensified ahead of the March 16 polls. The ruling Mahayuti alliance, holds 232 votes in the 286-member Assembly, enough to comfortably win six seats. The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi has numbers for one seat but faces internal rivalry.
The contest for Maharashtra’s seven Rajya Sabha seats has intensified ahead of the March 16 elections, with both the ruling Mahayuti and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) locked in a high-stakes battle driven by the state’s shifting arithmetic.
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In the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly, currently reduced to an effective strength of 286 following the deaths of Ajit Pawar and Shivajirao Kardile, a candidate requires 36 votes to secure a Rajya Sabha berth.
The ruling Mahayuti coalition, comprising the BJP, the Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde, and the NCP faction, commands a formidable 232 votes. The numbers comfortably position the alliance to win six of the seven seats.
The opposition MVA, however, finds itself in a more precarious situation. With a combined strength of 46 MLAs, the bloc has enough votes to secure one seat. But internal rivalry threatens to complicate what should be a straightforward win.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray has asserted a strong claim over the seat, arguing that his party’s legislative strength and aggressive opposition stance justify its candidature. Meanwhile, the faction led by Sharad Pawar is reportedly pushing for a senior leader from its camp, setting the stage for tense negotiations within the alliance.
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