The elections for seven Rajya
Sabha seats from Maharashtra would test cohesiveness of the ruling Shiv Sena-Congress-NCP alliance when it comes to voting for each other's candidates.
The notification for the seven seats was issued on Friday and the last date for filing nominations is March 13. Elections, if needed, will be held on March 26.
Rajya Sabha terms of NCP supremo Sharad Pawar, Union minister Ramdas Athawale, Congress' Hussain Dalwai, Sena's Rajkumar Dhoot, BJP's Amar Sable, BJP-backed Independent Sanjay Kakade and NCP's Majeed Memon will end on April 2.
Ruling alliance members Shiv Sena, Congress and NCP can comfortably win a seat each, as a single candidate needs 37 votes.
But problems could emerge in deciding allocation of votes as a section of Congress leaders is demanding two seats for the party.
The NCP is likely to replace Memon with former state minister Fauzia Khan, while names of former Union minister Sushilkumar Shinde, Congress general secretaries Avinash Pande, Rajiv Satav, Mukul Wasnik along with former South Mumbai MP Milind Deora and AICC Tamil Nadu secretary Sanjay Dutt are doing the rounds as candidates.
BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis, whose party is likely to renominate Athawale, leader of NDA ally Republican Party of India, said the saffron party will comfortably win three of the seven seats up for grabs.
The BJP would name its nominees at a later stage, he said.
The Sena is still holding its cards close to its chest.
Of the 288 seats in the Maharashtra Assembly, the BJP has 105, the Sena 56, NCP 54 and the Congress 44.
The rest comprise Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (three seats), SP, AIMIM and Prahar Janshakti Party (two each) and MNS, CPM, PWP, Swabhimani Paksh, RSP, Jansurajya Party, Krantikari Shetkari Party (one each) and 13 Independents.
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