Mumbai, March 2 (NationPress) Former Minister and Shiv Sena(UBT) member Aaditya Thackeray emphasized on Monday that discussions surrounding the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections on March 16 are progressing smoothly. He asserted that all parties within the Maha Vikas Aghadi are engaged in constructive dialogue and stressed that his party rightfully claims the opportunity to compete for the seat.

“We have formally asserted our claim for the forthcoming Rajya Sabha seat, as the numerical strength and the established rotation policy within the MVA dictate that the @ShivSenaUBT_ should contend for this position. This stance is consistent with our political alignments as part of the INDIA coalition,” Aaditya Thackeray stated in a message on X.

This declaration comes ahead of the March 5 deadline for submitting nominations for the Rajya Sabha elections. In a previous statement, Shiv Sena(UBT) MLA Varun Sardesai clarified that the seat is rightfully associated with the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction. “We are steadfast in our claim for the Rajya Sabha seat. Our MLAs have conveyed their opinions to party leader Uddhav Thackeray. In 2020, we supported the NCP(SP) candidate, Fauzia Khan. Given our current legislative strength, we hold a stronger position now. If our MP's term is concluding, the candidate for this seat must be from our faction,” he communicated to the press.

Sardesai further acknowledged the stature of veteran NCP(SP) leader Sharad Pawar, stating, “Sharad Pawar is an esteemed leader. Even if he expresses interest in the seat, or if such a proposal arises from MVA leadership, we will not yield our claim.”

This statement follows NCP(SP) working president and MP Supriya Sule's remarks, “It is the collective hope that Pawar Saheb gets re-elected to the Rajya Sabha. The immense support he receives demonstrates the regard and affection people have for him. Senior members from our party and I will advocate to Congress and Shiv Sena(UBT) to ensure his unanimous re-election.”

The dispute escalated after Aaditya Thackeray reiterated that with his party holding the majority of MLAs among the MVA allies, they should be granted the seat. While the alliance currently possesses enough strength to comfortably elect at least one candidate, an internal rivalry has emerged over which party will secure that position. Despite a high-level meeting of the Congress and NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) leaders, no consensus has been reached.

In light of these discussions, Shiv Sena(UBT) leaders have firmly declared that they will not back down from their claim to the seat. Sources from the MVA suggest that NCP(SP) leaders sought the seat for Sharad Pawar during recent discussions. When Congress leaders probed whether Pawar had shown a desire to return to the Rajya Sabha, NCP representatives clarified that this sentiment was expressed by Supriya Sule.

As of now, Sharad Pawar has not publicly declared his candidacy, and the Congress party continues to assert its claim on the seat, complicating the alliance's seat-sharing negotiations.

The ruling Mahayuti boasts 233 members—comprising 131 from the Bharatiya Janata Party, 57 from the Shiv Sena, and 40 from the NCP—likely securing six seats with the backing of nine smaller parties and Independents. Conversely, the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi has only 46 members, with the Shiv Sena(UBT) holding 20, Congress 16, and NCP(SP) 10, thereby only able to win a single seat.