Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar’s wife Sunetra Pawar from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) was elected Rajya Sabha member unopposed on June 18.
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The Returning Officer and Secretary, Maharashtra Legislature Secretariat, Jitendra Bhole announced her election to the Upper House. Ms. Pawar’s was the only application received for the post.
The only seat from Maharashtra had got vacant due to the resignation of NCP working president and former Union Minister Praful Patel.
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Mr. Patel had resigned with four years left in his fifth term and was faced with a disqualification petition filed by Sharad Pawar-led NCP on account of defection. Ajit Pawar had split from his uncle Sharad Pawar and took along other party leaders including Mr. Patel.
On resigning, Mr. Patel had posted on X, “I was elected as the Rajya Sabha MP for the tenure of 2022-2028. I have resigned from my 4 year balanced old term of Rajya Sabha membership as I have been elected on Rajya Sabha for a new term which will be effective from 2024 to 2030. Hence I continue to be the member of the August house till 2030.”
Ms. Pawar lost to her sister-in-law and Sharad Pawar’s daughter Supriya Sule from the Baramati Lok Sabha constituency this year by a margin of 1.58 lakh votes. This was the first instance when members of the Pawar family were contesting against each other. With Ms. Pawar getting elected unopposed, both the family members are Members of Parliament.