By IANS,
Mumbai: Over half a dozen Congress contestants are vying for the lone Rajya Sabha seat vacated by Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, official sources said Wednesday. The election for the seat is scheduled July 22.
The last date for filing of nominations is July 12 and it is expected that the party candidate would be announced by this weekend, an office-bearer of the state Congress said here.
Among the big names considered in the race are Punjab Governor and former union minister Shivraj Patil, state Congress spokesperson Anant Gadgil, former Congress legislator Sanjay Dutt — who vacated his state legislative council seat in favour of Chavan last year, and former legislator and Thane strongman Muzaffar Hussain.
Other names doing the rounds include those of Anees Ahmed and Rohidas Patil, both former state ministers.
Besides, names of several non-political personalities are also considered to be in the reckoning.
They are Planning Commission deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Planning Commission member and former vice chancellor of University of Pune Narendra Jadhav — both close to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, and Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust’s CEO Yashwantrao Shankarrao Patil-Thorat.