Maharashtra Dy CM Ajit Pawar's Wife Sunetra Files Nomination As Rajya Sabha Candidate: Report

Sunetra Pawar, wife of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP chief Ajit Pawar, filed her nomination as a Rajya Sabha candidate on Thursday, as per reports.

Sunetra recently contested the Lok Sabha election unsuccessfully against her sister-in-law, Supriya Sule, the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) candidate from Mahrashtra's Baramati seat.

According to reports, Sunetra's name was finalised at a meeting convened by Ajit Pawar with party ministers at his official residence in Mumbai.

The Rajya Sabha by-poll in the state is scheduled for June 25.

Sunetra on Thursday reached Vidhan Bhawan in Mumbai to file her nomination for the Rajya Sabha by-elections.

The seat fell vacant after NCP leader Praful Patel resigned in February to take oath for a fresh term.

Patel, who had four years remaining in his fifth term, was nominated for the Rajya Sabha elections because he was facing a disqualification petition filed by the Sharad Pawar-led faction of the NCP.

Ajit Pawar's decision to send his wife to the Upper House of the Parliament comes amid reports suggesting RSS wants BJP to snap ties with Ajit Pawar-led NCP ahead of Assembly elections in the state.

Sunetra is expected to be elected unopposed as Mahayuti has nearly 180 MLAs, and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi will not field a candidate against Ajit Pawar's wife.