Mumbai: Senior journalist and Mumbai Press Club President Kumar Ketkar and political leader Narayan Rane, who jumped from Congress to BJP recently, have been elected to Rajya Sabha from Maharashtra. The candidates for all six seats from the state were elected unopposed today. Three of the seats went to the BJP, and one each to ally Shiv Sena and the opposition Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party.
Sources said former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, who recently handed over the baton to her son Rahul Gandhi, had decided on Kumar Ketkar's candidature, even though he is not a party member.
Of the six Rajya Sabha seats, the Congress and the NCP had two each, Shiv Sena and the BJP had one each. Now, the BJP gets three seats while the others get one each.
The BJP is set to increase the tally of its Rajya Sabha numbers from Maharashtra and in the state Legislative Council owing to its improved performance in the 2014 state assembly elections, where it emerged as the single largest party, but fell short of majority on its own.
In Gujarat, four candidates have been elected unopposed to the state's four Rajya Sabha seats. Two have been elected from the BJP and two have been elected from the Congress. Two Independents, who were also in the fray withdrew their candidature, so there was no contest.
Sources said former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, who recently handed over the baton to her son Rahul Gandhi, had decided on Kumar Ketkar's candidature, even though he is not a party member.
Of the six Rajya Sabha seats, the Congress and the NCP had two each, Shiv Sena and the BJP had one each. Now, the BJP gets three seats while the others get one each.
The BJP is set to increase the tally of its Rajya Sabha numbers from Maharashtra and in the state Legislative Council owing to its improved performance in the 2014 state assembly elections, where it emerged as the single largest party, but fell short of majority on its own.
Advertisement
In Gujarat, four candidates have been elected unopposed to the state's four Rajya Sabha seats. Two have been elected from the BJP and two have been elected from the Congress. Two Independents, who were also in the fray withdrew their candidature, so there was no contest.
Advertisement
COMMENTS
Advertisement
"Will Suspend All Freebies Unless...": Supreme Court's Warning To Maharashtra Asha Parekh To Receive Maharashtra Govt's 'Raj Kapoor Lifetime Achievement Award' Man Arrested After Allegedly Raping Teen Student In Maharashtra: Cops Nurse Raped, Killed On Way Home, Body Found 9 Days Later In UP "Don't Expect Anything From Me": Kolkata Hospital's New Principal Loses Cool This US City Has Been Declared America's Least Desirable, Survey Finds Trump To Hold Press Conference, His Campaign Adds Senior Advisers Left, BJP, Creating Unrest: Mamata Banerjee On Midnight Attack At Hospital 'Don't Club Us With Others,' Says Manipur's Thadou Tribe, Waits For Peace Plan Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.