Ajit Pawar-led NCP announces Praful Patel as candidate for Rajya Sabha elections

Party chief Sunil Tatkare announced the decision today in Mumbai.

Praful Patel, a former Union Minister, after parting ways with Sharad Pawar joined Ajit Pawar-led NCP.

Earlier today, the BJP announced former Congress leader Ashok Chavan as its candidate for the Biennial elections.

Meanwhile, JP Nadda, who is currently a Rajya Sabha member from Himachal Pradesh, is being fielded from Gujarat since the BJP does not have the numbers to win the lone seat in the Congress-ruled hill state.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena is likely to field Milind Deora, who recently switched from Congress severing decades-old family ties with the grand old party, as its Rajya Sabha candidate for the upcoming Biennial election.

As per Shiv Sena sources, Milind Deora will file his nomination tomorrow.

The last day for filing nomination papers is February 15. The term for Rajya Sabha MPs is six years and elections are held after every two years for 33 per cent of the seats. Currently, the Rajya Sabha has a strength of 245 members.

Out of the total 245 members, out of which 233 are representatives of the States and Union territories of Delhi, Puducherry Jammu and Kashmir (w.e.f. October 31, 2019), 12 are nominated by the President.

Based on population, each state is allocated a certain number of candidates in the Upper House.

The Election Commission has scheduled the Rajya Sabha elections for 15 states, including Uttar Pradesh, for February 27.

Voting will take place from 9 am to 4 pm on this date, with the deadline for nominations set for February 15.

The results of the elections will be announced on the same day, February 27.

The Election Commission has announced the biennial Rajya Sabha polls for 56 seats, as the tenure of incumbents ends in April. (ANI)