Earlier within the day, BJP had introduced names of 4 candidates. The BJP leaders had stated that if Pawar can be the MVA candidate, then they’d not put up any candidate in opposition to him.

Although Pawar had earlier hinted at retirement, a NCP SP insider had instructed ThePrint that after the dying of Ajit Pawar, the octogenarian determined to as soon as once more take reins in his arms and be in lively politics.

आदरणीय पवार साहेब महाविकास आघाडीचे उमेदवार म्हणून राज्यसभेची निवडणूक लढवत आहेत. महाविकास आघाडी तसेच मित्र पक्षांनी आदरणीय पवार साहेबांच्या उमेदवारीला सहमती दर्शवली व पाठिंबा दिला याबद्दल सोनियाजी गांधी, मल्लिकार्जुन जी खर्गे, उद्धवजी ठाकरे, राहुलजी गांधी, आदित्य ठाकरे, प्रियांका…

— Supriya Sule (@supriya_sule) March 4, 2026

For fairly a while there was no consensus as all three MVA events had been eager on fielding their very own candidates. Until the final minute, Congress state leaders had been eager on placing up their candidate.

When ThePrint spoke to 2 senior Congress leaders, they expressed shock that the veteran would wish to contest the elections, on condition that he had spoken about retirement earlier.

“Might God bless him with good well being and 100 years, however of late, his well being is delicate. And so, we didn’t suppose he would wish to contest the elections,” stated one of many senior Congress leaders.

“Whereas everybody knew that we had been eager on contesting the Rajya Sabha seat, our allies who act like enemies should have provoked Sharad Pawar to contest. When we have now such mates as allies, who wants enemies,” the opposite Congress chief stated.

On document, Congress leaders maintained that although they conveyed to Delhi their intention  of eager to contest, the get together excessive command gave a inexperienced gentle to Sharad Pawar’s candidature on Wednesday afternoon.

Congress state chief Harshwardhan Sapkal instructed the media that each get together hoped to place of their candidate. “Even we needed our chief, however Sharad Pawar is a really senior chief. He’s an enormous chief of MVA and INDIA bloc and primarily based on that proper, all of us mentioned with MLAs and leaders accordingly,” he added.

Sapkal additional stated that state leaders held discussions with Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Chief of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi in Delhi.

Till late Tuesday, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena was additionally eager on having its personal candidate. Shiv Sena (UBT) legislator Aaditya Thackeray himself was vocal about claiming the Rajya Sabha nomination for his get together and made it identified on X.

A senior Sena chief stated one of many seven seats that’s getting vacant is held by Priyanka Chaturvedi. The get together, in response to this insider stated, was reluctant to let go of the seat as a result of with out Chaturvedi, Sanjay Raut would be the solely different consultant within the Higher Home of Parliament.

“As an MVA and INDIA bloc associate, it’s our get together that has persistently stood with the Congress on nationwide points each inside and outdoors Parliament. And that’s the reason we thought that we’re a match candidate to get this seat,” the Sena insider stated.

“Moreover, there have been talks of NCP merger and if that occurs, our votes might be wasted if the NCP goes with the NDA. However now since Supriya Sule and Jayant Patil got here and met Uddhav ji, many points are cleared and we determined to help Sharad Pawar’s candidature.”

Later, Sena spokesperson Sanjay Raut gave a message of unity within the opposition camp, as he posted that “MVA is one and can stay a united pressure.”

In the meantime, Pawar’s daughter and Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule thanked all of the MVA leaders for his or her help to her father. “We now have come collectively for Maharashtra, for the nation. And even in future, we’ll work collectively responsibly as a unit similar to how we had achieved previously,” the Baramati MP stated.