Vilasrao Deshmukh files nomination paper for Rajya Sabha elections

MUMBAI: Union Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh today filed his nomination papers for the biennial Rajya Sabha elections scheduled for March 30.

Deshmukh was accompanied by Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, state unit Congress president Manikrao Thakre and party ministers Narayan Rane, Balasaheb Thorat, Harshvardhan Patil, Satej Patil, Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil and MLC Ulhas Pawar among others.

The Union Science and Technology Minister is among the six members from Maharashtra whose Rajya Sabha membership term ends on April 2.

Meanwhile, Deshmukh, who also is the president of Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA), told reporters that he will write to the Centre to honour Sachin Tendulkar with Bharat Ratna.

"We plan to organise a felicitation for him by this month end," Deshmukh said.

He said he saw no threat to the Congress and NCP candidates in the Rajya Sabha elections due to the entry of Pune-based industrialist Sanjay Kakade into the poll fray as an Independent candidate. "We will win," he added.