MVA Alliance Backs Sharad Pawar for Rajya Sabha Seat

Mumbai, March 4: The Maha Vikas Aghadi opposition alliance in Maharashtra announced its support for Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction) chief Sharad Pawar as its candidate for a Rajya Sabha seat, demonstrating unity among its key partners ahead of the March 16 polls.

The decision, confirmed at a joint press conference in Mumbai, involves the Indian National Congress and Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray faction) backing Pawar, a sitting Rajya Sabha member whose current term ends in April. With nominations due by March 5, leaders from the alliance stated that all parties would attend the filing of Pawar's papers the following day. The move resolves initial competition for the seat, which the alliance is positioned to secure given its combined strength in the state assembly.

Supriya Sule, a Nationalist Congress Party MP and Pawar's daughter, expressed gratitude to the allies during the conference. "I am eternally grateful to the Congress and Shiv Sena for the largeheartedness they have shown," she said. "We met Uddhav Thackeray just yesterday. Following that meeting, both the Shiv Sena UBT and the Congress have officially declared their support."