Sambhajiraje now distances from BJP
MUMBAI: In what may create a churn during the Rajya Sabha elections scheduled to be held next month, Kolhapur royal family scion Sambhajiraje Chhatrapati has distanced himself from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and thrown his hat into the ring as an independent candidate. The descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj has also announced the launch of a social outfit ‘Swarajya’, which may be converted into a political party later.
Sambhajiraje (52), who came to the fore during the protests by Marathas seeking reservation in jobs and education, and has a base in sections of the community, was nominated to the Rajya Sabha in 2016 from the President’s quota and his term expired on May 3. An aide of Sambhajiraje said he was not a formal member of BJP, but admitted to him being an associate member of the party in the House.
The elections to six Rajya Sabha seats from Maharashtra will be held on June 10. The tenures of Sanjay Raut (Shiv Sena), Praful Patel (Nationalist Congress Party-ncp), P Chidambaram (Congress), and Piyush Goyal, Dr Vikas Mahatme and Vinay Sahasrabuddhe (BJP) are coming to an end. Sambhajiraje has set his sights on the sixth seat, which neither the ruling Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi nor BJP can win on its own but have surplus votes.
“I will not join any political party. I will fight as an independent. From today, I am not a member of any political party,” Sambhajiraje said at a
I will fight as an independent. From today, I am not a member of any political party SAMBHAJIRAJE
press conference on Thursday. “I will contest the Rajya Sabha polls as an independent,” he added, while urging political parties and leaders across party lines to support him not just as a descendant of Shivaji Maharaj and Shahu Maharaj but also for his social work.
Sambhajiraje said while the MVA had 27 surplus votes, BJP had 22. To be elected, a candidate will need 42 votes. He also announced the launch of a new social outfit ‘Swarajya’ that may be converted into a political party later. “Rajsatta [political power] is important for janaseva [public service],” he said, calling the launch of ‘Swarajya’ as “the first step of a political journey.” Sambhajiraje said he was also ready to contest the Lok Sabha elections in the future.