According to a press release issued by the BJP’s central office in New Delhi, the party's Central Election Committee has cleared the candidacies of Union Minister Ramdas Athawale, BJP General Secretary Vinod Tawde, Maya Chintaman Inwate, and Ramrao Wadkute for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections. The polls for the Upper House are scheduled for March 16.
A list of nine candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections, selecting key leaders across several states. From Bihar, the party has chosen its National President, Nitin Nabin, alongside Shivesh Kumar to represent the state in the Upper House. In Assam, the nominations went to Terash Gowalla and Jogen Mohan, while Laxmi Verma has been named as the party's candidate from Chhattisgarh.
In Haryana, the BJP has fielded Sanjay Bhatia. The party has also nominated its Odisha state unit chief, Manmohan Samal and Sujeet Kumar to contest from Odisha. Rounding out the list, Rahul Sinha has been named as the nominee from West Bengal.
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Profiles Of Nominees
Vinod Tawde: A prominent figure in Indian politics, Tawde currently serves as the National General Secretary of the BJP. He has played a pivotal role in crafting the party’s electoral strategies and securing victories in various states as an election in-charge. Notably, he was instrumental in the return of Bhojpuri actor-singer Pawan Singh to the party fold and was recently considered a top contender for the post of National President.
Ramdas Athawale: The President of the Republican Party of India (A) and a long-standing NDA ally, Athawale currently serves as the Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment. Known for his wit and spontaneous poetry in Parliament, his current Rajya Sabha term is nearing its end. The BJP has re-nominated him to continue his influential role within the coalition.
Maya Chintaman Inwate: Emerging from a modest background, Inwate is a teacher and social activist representing the tribal community. She previously served as a member of the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes and was recently elected as a corporator in the Nagpur Municipal Corporation, marking her growing influence in local governance.
Ramrao Wadkute: A key organisational leader from Maharashtra, Wadkute has been picked for the Rajya Sabha seat due to his extensive experience within the party structure and his strong regional influence.
Shifted Electroral Maths In Maharashtra
The Election Commission has set the stage for biennial elections to 37 Rajya Sabha seats spanning 10 different states. The current political split of these seats shows 12 members from the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and 25 from the opposition. As per constitutional procedure, these Upper House members will be chosen by state MLAs through a single transferable vote system under proportional representation.
In Maharashtra, the electoral math has shifted following the recent passing of MLAs Ajit Pawar and Shivajirao Kardile. Their absence has reduced the effective voting strength of the State Legislative Assembly to 286. Consequently, the minimum threshold or "quota" required for a candidate to win a seat in the state has been set at 37 votes.