NDTV
New Delhi, Jun 5: Industrialist Rahul Bajaj has been nominated as the joint BJP, NCP, Sena candidate for the Rajya Sabha seat vacated after Pramod Mahajan's death.
Congress and NCP were expected to pull up a joint candidate for this seat, but Sharad Pawar has switched sides.
The move has taken the Congress by surprise. The Congress and the NCP are alliance partners in Maharashtra and had decided to field their candidates for the Rajya Sabha seat.
Though the Congress has the advantage of numbers, now the NCP seems to have the upper hand with a stronger candidate and also support from the opposition parties.
The final decision and the formal announcement are expected to be made on Monday - the date for final nomination for the Rajya Sabha elections.