After Aaditya Thackeray, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut also claimed that as the largest constituent in the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), his party has the "first right" to the alliance's lone winnable Rajya Sabha seat from Maharashtra.
Earlier this week, Aaditya Thackeray appeared to stake his party's claim to the MVA's lone winnable seat in the Upper House of Parliament. Considering the numbers in the assembly, the Rajya Sabha seat "belongs" to his party, and "talks will definitely happen in that direction in the MVA", he had said.
"There is absolutely nothing wrong with what Aaditya Thackeray said. We are the single largest party with 20 MLAs. The Congress has 16, and the NCP (SP) has 10. Therefore, whoever gets elected to the Rajya Sabha will go as a candidate of the MVA. As the largest party, the Shiv Sena (UBT) has the first right," he was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
The Rajya Sabha stints of NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar, Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi, Fauzia Khan of NCP (SP), Ramdas Athawale of RPI (Athawale), the BJP's Bhagwat Karad, the Congress's Rajani Patil, and the NCP's Dhairysheel Patil will end in April. The Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) can potentially send one candidate to the Upper House of Parliament due to its depleted strength.
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He, however, indicated that the arithmetic remains crucial.
"One MP will certainly be elected. Support of 37 MLAs is needed. This time, we appear to have 10 to 12 surplus votes. We will need to mobilise another 20–21 votes. If that happens, two candidates can be elected. But at this moment, since Shiv Sena (UBT) is the largest party, we are bound to assert our claim," Raut was quoted as saying by PTI.
The Election Commission is set to officially notify the polls for seven Rajya Sabha seats, scheduled for 16 March, on 26 February.
