New Delhi: Tawde, Athawale among four BJP nominees for RS polls from Maharashtra
Mumbai, Mar 4 (PTI) The BJP on Wednesday announced four candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections from Maharashtra, including Union minister Ramdas Athawale and former state minister Vinod Tawde.
Besides Athawale and Tawde, the party has also fielded Nagpur ex-mayor Maya Chintaman Ivnate and former member of the legislative council (MLC) Ramrao Wadkute for the biennial elections.
Seven Rajya Sabha seats from Maharashtra are set to fall vacant in April. With over 230 MLAs in the 288-member assembly, the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance is in a position to ensure the election of all its four nominees.
The Rajya Sabha members from Maharashtra retiring this year include NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar, Athawale, who heads RPI (A), Fauzia Khan of NCP (SP), Rajni Patil (Congress), Priyanka Chaturvedi of Shiv Sena (UBT), and BJP leaders Dhananjay Patil and Bhagwat Karad.
Polling will be held on March 16 between 9 am and 4 pm, with counting scheduled to commence at 5 pm the same day.
Earlier in the morning, Athawale met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at the CM’s official residence ‘Varsha’ in south Mumbai. The meeting was in connection with the Rajya Sabha polls, said a source close to Athawale.
Wadkute, who is from Hingoli district, told the media that he had not expected to be fielded as a candidate by the BJP. He joined the ruling party a few years ago.
“I joined the BJP because I had faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Devendra Fadnavis. This party works at the ground level. I simply focused on my work without expecting anything in return,” he said.
Wadkute said he had earlier resigned as an MLC before completing his tenure. “I did not approach the party for a Rajya Sabha nomination. There is not even a gram panchayat member from my family,” he said.
Tawde expressed his gratitude to his party leadership for the nomination and said he is committed to “fulfilling this new responsibility with complete dedication and loyalty”.
“Under the guidance of the Hon’ble Prime Minister @narendramodi ji and the leadership of National President @NitinNabin ji, we remain committed every moment for the nation’s welfare. For this nomination, respectful thanks to Maharashtra’s Chief Minister @Dev_Fadnavis ji and State President @RaviDadaChavan ji!,” he said in a post on X.
Former Nagpur mayor Ivnate is currently a corporator in the city civic corporation.
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