Sena move deals a blow to Sambhajiraje candidature
Descendant of Shivaji, who had announced to contest elections as an independent, was expecting support from ruling parties
MUMBAI: Shiv Sena’s announcement on Tuesday to field party’s Kolhapur district president Sanjay Pawar as the second candidate for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections has ruined the chances of Sambhajiraje Chhatrapati, who has announced to contest as an independent. A direct descendant of Maratha King Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, he was counting on the unanimous support from the three ruling parties as he was keen on working for the Maratha community and the state, without any political affiliation.
Last week, Sambhajiraje made an emotional appeal through an open letter to MLAS from all parties, urging them to help him win as the sixth candidate from Maharashtra. “I have been active in social work and working in the interest of the people rising above party politics since 2007. Even as an MP [2016-2022], I chose to stand for the people without thinking about personal political benefits. The political seat always helps while working in the interest of the people and I realised this during my first term to the Rajya Sabha. Hence, I am seeking your support to win the sixth seat.”
Elections to the six seats of the Rajya Sabha will be held on June 10. The seats are currently held by Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Piyush Goyal, Vinay Sahastrabuddhe and Vikas Mahatme, Sena’s Sanjay Raut, Nationalist Congress Party’s (NCP) Praful Patel, and Congress’s P Chidambaram. Since candidates are to be elected by 288 members of the assembly, BJP can elect two, while the three Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) partners can send one member each to the House. Sena has decided to renominate Raut.
Sena’s condition
After Sambhajiraje met NCP chief Sharad Pawar and leader of opposition Devendra Fadnavis, Pawar had announced to support his candidature. Later, Pawar changed his stand and said his party would vote for the Sena candidate being fielded as the fourth of the MVA (Under an arrangement between the three coalition partners, the additional seat in the Rajya Sabha elections goes to Sena). BJP has believably assured the former Rajya Sabha MP with its additional 22 votes.
Sena, last week, announced that it was ready to field Sambhajiraje
as its candidate if he joined the party. A delegation of three Sena leaders met Sambhajiraje in Mumbai to convey the party’s decision, which was turned down by the leader. On Tuesday, Sena MP Sanjay Raut announced the candidature of Sanjay Pawar as the MVA’S fourth candidate.
“We respect Sambhajiraje and hence, offered him to join the party. He himself had contested the Lok Sabha elections as an NCP candidate in 2009, while his brother was a Congress MLA. His father Shahu Maharaj had contested the Lok Sabha polls on the Sena ticket. Why should he have any problem in joining a political party? We have finalised the name of our hardcore party worker Sanjay Pawar though the official announcement is yet to be made,” Raut said.
A senior Sena leader, on condition of anonymity, said, “We cannot be taken for granted by anybody. Sambhajiraje did not take us into confidence before announcing his candidature. Had he discussed it with us beforehand, we would have considered him for the sixth seat. If he joins Sena, we still can consider his candidature. He will have to take the call accordingly. He cannot be supported just because he is a descendant of the Maratha empire.”
The Sena stand has put Sambhajiraje in a fix. “Of the 13 independents and 16 MLAS from the smaller parties, very few are with Sambhajiraje. BJP will support him with five more independents and a couple of more from smaller parties, besides its own 22 excess votes. But it does not help Sambhajiraje reach the quota of 42 votes. The MVA has more than 35 additional votes and has an edge if the elections happen for seven candidates,” an NCP leader said.
The leader, however, said there was still room for change in the stand taken by the MVA. “The candidature of Sanjay
Pawar has not been officially announced. There are eight more days left to the last date of filing nomination and hence, there is ample time to take the final call. Sena has not fielded any prominent name or a key aspirant, but has fielded one of its district presidents. It can still change its mind if the three parties arrive at an amicable solution. Sena could grab the credit by pretending to have withdrawn its candidate for Sambhajiraje.”
A leader close to Sambhajiraje said even if Sena opposed, they would have the support of most of the 29 members who were either independents or from smaller parties, besides BJP’S 22 excess votes. “If Sena or the MVA decides to field an additional candidate, it will expose the rift within the ruling parties which will damage the coalition beyond control. We accept an amicable solution to avoid horse trading.”
Rajendra Kondhare of Akhil Bharatiya Maratha Mahasangh has appealed to all political parties to support Sambhajiraje. “He is the face of the Maratha community and has announced to work for the state without aligning with any political party. He is soft spoken, down to earth, and mingles with people easily. Not only from Maratha organisations he has also garnered support from the people in western Maharashtra and Marathwada.”
Political analyst Hemant Desai said though Sena had taken an unexpected stand, the six seats would likely be elected unopposed.
“By announcing to field one more candidate, Sena has sent out a message not only to Sambhajiraje but also to the NCP that they cannot take it for granted. It appears to be a right political move and a reply to the detractors who taunt Thackeray to be a pawn of Pawar,” he said.