Union minister and BJP ally Ramdas Athawale is among the four names announced by the BJP on March 4, 2026. Others include senior BJP leader Vinod Tawde, Maya Invate and Ramrao Wadkute. File
| Photo Credit: PTI
With one day remaining for the last day of filing nominations for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) has not yet arrived at a consensus on their candidate for the election. Meanwhile, the BJP on Wednesday (March 4, 2026) announced its list of four candidates for Maharashtra.
NCP’s Parth Pawar will file his nomination on Thursday (March 5, 2026), party sources said.
The Rajya Sabha elections are going to be held on March 16. Of the 37 seats from 10 States which will go to polls, seven seats are from Maharashtra. As per the formula and the strength of each alliance, the Mahayuti can get six candidates, while the MVA can get one candidate elected if the opposition arrives at a consensus over the candidate.
If more than seven candidates are fielded, election will be held on March 16.
Sharad Pawar’s decision
While NCP(SP) President and sitting Rajya Sabha member Sharad Pawar, whose term ends next month, has not yet officially spoken on the issue, his party has insisted that he should be named the MVA candidate. NCP(SP) State president Jayant Patil and MP Supriya Sule met Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday (March 3, 2026) night to hold discussion on the issue.
“Congress and Shiv Sena will sit together with us. We will take a decision thereafter. No decision has been taken as yet. All of us insist that Pawar saaheb should be in Delhi for MVA and for NCP(SP),” Jayant Patil said on Wednesday (March 4, 2026).
He refused to comment on questions about whether BJP will give only four candidates if Sharad Pawar files his nomination. But he added that MVA will unanimously give a candidate by Thursday (March 5, 2026).
Refusing reports of a final decision on the matter, Shiv Sena UBT leader Aaditya Thackeray said that no decision had been taken on the candidate so far. Sena has staked claim to the Rajya Sabha seat.
Sharad Pawar is slated to be discharged from a city hospital on Wednesday (March 4, 2026).
State Congress leadership wants the Rajya Sabha seat allocated to itself, but several leaders The Hindu spoke with, said they might have to support Sharad Pawar if he decides to contest. Mr. Pawar’s party has so far insisted that his candidature alone will ensure an unopposed Rajya Sabha poll in Maharashtra.
Comment: How one seat will test the MVA’s unity
BJP releases list
Meanwhile, the ruling Mahayuti has taken its first step. BJP announced its list of candidates for Maharashtra.
The leaders who will file their nominations are — Union minister and BJP ally Ramdas Athawale, senior BJP leader Vinod Tawde, Maya Invate and Ramrao Wadkute.
While NCP has announced Parth Pawar’s name for Rajya Sabha, he hasn’t yet filed his nomination. Parth Pawar is the son of late NCP leader Ajit Pawar and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar. “His nomination will be filed on Thursday (March 5),” an NCP leader said.
Sources in Shiv Sena said that they would like to have two Rajya Sabha members from their party.
The last day for the filing of nominations is March 5.
Published – March 04, 2026 12:54 pm IST
