Shiv Sena fields Dalit woman Jyoti Waghmare for Rajya Sabha polls

Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde has nominated Jyoti Waghmare, a Dalit woman from a poor family, for the Rajya Sabha elections. Shinde expressed confidence in her, stating the party empowers its hardworking workers to represent Maharashtra's interests.

Shiv Sena Backs 'Common Woman' for Rajya Sabha

Shiv Sena chief and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Thursday expressed confidence in the party's candidate for Rajya Sabha elections, Jyoti Waghmare, a Dalit woman, stating that the party honours its hard-working workers. Eknath Shinde underscored Waghmare's dedication despite coming from an ordinary, poor family and asserted Shiv Sena's committment to empowering its workers. He said that Waghmare, once elected, will raise issues of the state's interest in the Upper House of the Parliament.

"Jyoti Waghmare hails from an ordinary and poor family, and in Shiv Sena, those who do good work and work for the people receive due respect. Shiv Sena has empowered its workers... Shiv Sena is the party of workers and a party that enhances the honour of workers, and therefore, Jyoti Waghmare has got this opportunity. I am confident that she will raise Maharashtra's issues in the Rajya Sabha," Shinde said. This comes after Shiv Sena, earlier today, nominated Jyoti Waghmare, a Dalit woman from Solapur, as their candidate for the Rajya Sabha elections.

Party Leaders Laud 'Historic Decision'

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena MP Milind Deora lauded the "historic decision" by the Deputy CM of sending "a common woman to Rajya Sabha." He expressed confidence in her ability to voice the concerns of the people of Maharashtra. "I welcome the historic decision by party chief and Deputy CM Eknath Shinde to send a common woman to the Rajya Sabha. I am proud to say that a common woman will now work as a Rajya Sabha MP. She will raise the issues of the party and raise problems of the people of Maharashtra. As a leader of the party in the Rajya Sabha, I support her candidature," he said.

Rajya Sabha Election Schedule Announced

The Election Commission of India (ECI) announced the schedule for the upcoming biennial elections to the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) to fill the 37 seats across 10 states, as the members are set to complete their term in April 2026, a press note stated. According to the press note, the term of 37 members who were elected from Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Telangana will conclude in the month of April, vacating the seats for new members to be elected.

The notification will be issued on February 26, commencing the election process. The last date of nominations is March 5, followed by scrutiny on March 6. The candidates can withdraw their nominations till March 9. The polling is scheduled to take place on March 16, with the counting of votes on the same day at 5 pm.

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