Elections for 12 Rajya Sabha seats, including two from Maharashtra, will be held on September 3rd, with results announced the same day. The Maharashtra seats became vacant after Union Ministers Piyush Goyal and Udayanraje Bhosale resigned to join the Lok Sabha. With the Mahayuti (grand alliance) holding significant strength in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, it is expected that their candidates will secure both seats.
However, it remains unclear whether the BJP will retain both seats or allocate one to Ajit Pawar's faction. Ajit Pawar has previously indicated that his group should receive the seat vacated by Udayanraje Bhosale. The BJP is anticipated to make a decision soon on whether to offer one Rajya Sabha seat to Pawar's faction. While Pawar has suggested that a decision has been made within the Mahayuti, there has been no official confirmation from the BJP.
At a recent rally in Wai, Ajit Pawar proposed that Udayanraje Bhosale be sent to the Lok Sabha and Nitin Patil be nominated for the Rajya Sabha. Nitin Patil, Chairman of the Satara District Central Cooperative Bank and brother of Wai MLA Makarand Patil, is a member of Pawar’s group. Speculation continues over whether Chhagan Bhujbal, who has shown interest in a Rajya Sabha seat, will be chosen if Ajit Pawar's faction is allocated one seat, or if Nitin Patil will receive the opportunity as promised. The BJP is also considering whether to offer the seat to a candidate who was not selected for the Lok Sabha or to choose someone beneficial for upcoming state assembly elections. The party is currently deliberating its options.