Shiv Sena to field Milind Deora for Rajya Sabha elections; Congress chooses Dalit face

Former Congress leader Milind Deora, now a Shiv Sena candidate, is likely to file nomination for Rajya Sabha election.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena on Wednesday announced Milind Deora, a former Congress leader and Union Minister, as its candidate for the upcoming Rajya Sabha election, according to party sources.

Mr. Deora, who joined the Shiv Sena in January, has previously served as a two-time Lok Sabha member from Mumbai South. He is likely to file the nomination on Thursday.

Son of the late Murli Deora, the 47-year-old stood out as one of India’s youngest MPs and was known to be a member of Team Rahul Gandhi, a collective of young leaders, including Jyotiraditya Scindia, R.P.N. Singh, Jitin Prasada, and Sachin Pilot. Except for Mr. Pilot, all of them have switched allegiances to begin new innings in other parties, predominantly the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Shiv Sena is the BJP’s ally in the western State and Mr. Deora’s entry provided the party with a much-needed affable figure boasting strong ties with business leaders and Delhi’s political circles, for which the party so far had to depend on its ally.

This upcoming election marks his debut in the Upper House.

Meanwhile, the Congress nominated former Mumbai Mayor Chandrakant Handore, a Dalit face from Maharashtra, as their candidate for the Upper House. He also served as minister between 2004 and 2009 and is the president of Bhim Shakti, an Ambedkarite and socio-political organisation.