Sena picks own candidate for RS; all eyes on Sambhajiraje

Kolhapur: Sambhajiraje Chhatrapati’s reluctance to join the Shiv Sena — for Rajya Sabha nomination — has led to the Sena leadership choosing to field Sanjay Pawar, the party’s Kolhapur district president.
On Tuesday morning, Sambhajiraje spoke to the media. “I have met chief minister Uddhav Thackeray and we have taken a decision. I think he will act as per the decision. I am sure he will not let the Chhatrapati family down,” he said.Sambhajiraje, however, did not reveal what the decision was. He was speaking for the first time since announcing his intention to contest for the sixth RS seat from Maharashtra as an independent candidate. Since no party or alliance has the required number of votes to win the sixth seat, he had sought help from all the parties to win another RS term.
Meanwhile, Sanjay Pawar reached Mumbai and is learnt to have furnished documents to file his nomination. Sena leader Sanjay Raut said Pawar will be the Sena candidate. “The CM has taken the call. Pawar is our candidate for the sixth seat. A formal announcement will be made,” he said.
All eyes are now on Sambhajiraje. If the MVA remains firmly behind Pawar, it will be difficult for Sambhajiraje to win the RS seat. Sources said though he is not ready to join the Sena formally, he is ready to be the official candidate of the MVA. Sena leadership did not agree to this. If Sena fields anyone other than Sambhajiraje, then BJP too may field a candidate.