NEW DELHI , 23 Feb 2026 : The upcoming elections to the Rajya Sabha and the Maharashtra legislative council have triggered frenetic activity in the Opposition camp and sparked buzz of a tussle between the Shiv Sena (UBT), the Congress and the NCP (SP), partners in the Maha Vikas Aghadi.
Seven Rajya Sabha seats from Maharashtra are set to become vacant. Out of these seats, two are with the Congress, one is with the Sena (UBT) and another with NCP founder Sharad Pawar. MLAs vote in the election to the Rajya Sabha and owing to the NDA’s stellar win in the 2024 Maharashtra election, six out of these seven seats are likely to go in its kitty. That leaves only one seat for the Opposition.
Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray is reportedly planning to travel to Delhi to hold discussions with the Congress high command. Meanwhile, sources said, the NCP (SP) has not been part of preliminary talks, leading to speculation about equations within the Opposition camp.
Elections to 37 Rajya Sabha seats across 10 states are scheduled for March 16. The Maharashtra MPs retiring this year include NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar, Sena UBT’s Priyanka Chaturvedi, and the Congress’s Dr Fauzia Tahseen Ahmed Khan and Rajani Ashokrao Patil. The other three are the BJP’s Dr Bhagwat Kishanrao Karad, Dhairyashil, and NDA ally Ramdas Bandu Athawale.
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