Maharashtra ruling coalition agrees to give NCP 2nd Rajya Sabha seat; CM Uddhav Thackeray to enter legislative council

NEW DELHI: Maharashtra’s ruling coalition has accepted the Nationalist Congress Party’s demand for a second Rajya Sabha seat. The Shiv Sena and Congress will contest a seat each in the March 26 elections to fill seven Rajya Sabha vacancies from the state, it is learnt.

In another development, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, who is required to become a legislator within six months of assuming office, will become a member of the legislative council, a source said.

The agreement on Rajya Sabha seat-sharing among allies means that in addition to Sharad Pawar, NCP will also send one more nominee to the Upper House. Source said party MP Najeeb Memon, who completes his term, is unlikely to get another term. Former state minister and NCP woman leader Fauzia Khan is among the front runners for the second seat.


With 54 MLAs, NCP can elect only one candidate to the RS seat, as 38 votes are required for a candidate in the event of a contest. However, Pawar sought the second seat for his party which can be won by pooling the surplus votes of Sena-NCP-Congress even if there is a contest. The ruling front source cited the Sena-NCP-Congress agreement on a 1-2-1 RS seat-sharing “as an example of the alliance working in perfect coordination”.

On Thackeray’s plan to take the council route than a by-election, sources said Sena could easily win a couple of seats in council elections to fill eight vacancies and the CM felt there was no need to make any MLA to resign to create a vacancy for by-elections to the legislative assembly. The CM, along with party colleagues and family members will visit Ayodhya on Saturday, offer prayers at the make-shift Ram temple and will take part in the aarti on the banks of the Sarayu.