Mumbai, March 3 (NationPress) Aaditya Thackeray, leader of the Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray faction and former minister, announced on Tuesday that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) has not yet reached a decision regarding the Rajya Sabha seat, but emphasizes that this will be resolved shortly.

Thackeray confirmed that leaders from the NCP SP, Supriya Sule and Jayant Patil, met with Shiv Sena UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray, reinforcing that discussions are ongoing.

In a post on X, Aaditya Thackeray stated, “NCP SCP leaders Supriya Sule ji and Jayant Patil ji visited Uddhav Thackeray ji at Matoshri today. No decision has been finalized on the Rajya Sabha seat yet, and a resolution will come soon. All MVA partners will convene for discussions on this matter and related political alignments.”

The deadline for filing no-action papers is March 5, with polling scheduled for March 16.

This meeting between Uddhav Thackeray and NCP SP is pivotal, especially considering that the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena has asserted its claim over the Rajya Sabha seat.

Additionally, the Congress party has also shown interest, while NCP SP chief Sharad Pawar has not staked a claim on the seat. However, Sule has recently indicated that numerous MVA leaders wish for Pawar senior to be nominated as the MVA candidate for the Rajya Sabha seat.

Earlier, Aaditya Thackeray remarked on Monday that there was no impasse in discussions regarding the Rajya Sabha elections, as all parties within the Maha Vikas Aghadi were in active communication.

“We have asserted our claim for the upcoming Rajya Sabha seat, as, based on numerical strength and the rotation policy established for the MVA, the seat should be contested by the @ShivSenaUBT_. This also aligns with our political positions as part of the INDIA alliance,” Thackeray conveyed in his X post.

Similarly, Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Varun Sardesai emphasized last Friday that the seat rightfully belongs to the group led by Uddhav Thackeray.

“We will not relinquish our claim on the Rajya Sabha seat under any circumstances. Our MLAs have already conveyed their opinions to party chief Uddhav Thackeray. In 2020, we supported the NCP SP candidate Fauzia Khan. Now, given our current legislative strength, our numbers are superior. If our MP is completing his term, the candidate for this seat must originate from our party,” he told reporters.

Addressing the stature of the esteemed NCP SP leader, Sardesai remarked, “Sharad Pawar is a respected leader. Even if he expresses interest in the seat himself, or if such a proposal arises from MVA leadership, we will still maintain our claim.”

Sardesai’s comments follow days after NCP SP working president and MP Supriya Sule stated, “It is the collective desire that Pawar saheb be re-elected to the Rajya Sabha. The overwhelming support reflects the admiration and respect people have for him. Senior leaders from our party and I will petition the Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) to ensure his unanimous re-election.”

The contention heightened when Aaditya Thackeray recently insisted that since his party possesses the highest number of MLAs among the MVA allies, the seat should be assigned to them.

While the alliance currently has enough strength to elect at least one candidate, a struggle has emerged over which party will secure that seat.

Despite a high-level meeting between Congress and NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) leaders, no resolution was achieved.

Amid these negotiations, Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders have firmly asserted they will not surrender their claim to the seat under any circumstances.

MVA sources indicate that leaders from the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) have requested the seat for Sharad Pawar during recent discussions. When Congress leaders queried whether Sharad Pawar had expressed a desire to return to the Rajya Sabha, NCP representatives clarified that this wish was voiced by Supriya Sule.

As Sharad Pawar has not made a public or official statement regarding his candidacy, the Congress party has also retained its claim on the seat, complicating the alliance's seat-sharing dynamics.

The ruling Mahayuti holds 233 members—131 from the Bharatiya Janata Party, 57 from the Shiv Sena, and 40 from the NCP—and is projected to secure six seats with the backing of nine smaller parties and independents.

The Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi comprises 46 members, with Shiv Sena (UBT) having 20, Congress 16, and NCP (SP) 10, thus enabling them to only win one seat.