Shinde, Patel, Chavan, Apte file nomination papers for RS

Mumbai, Mar 16: Union Power Minister Sushilkumar Shinde (Congress), Minister of State for Civil Aviation Praful Patel and Vasant Chavan (both NCP) and Prof Bal Apte (BJP) today filed their nomination papers for the biennial Rajya Sabha elections scheduled to be held on March 28.

Mr Manohar Joshi (Shiv Sena) had already filed his nomination papers earlier.

There are six Rajya Sabha seats from Maharashtra, and the Congress is expected to announce its second candidate this evening. Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee President Prabha Rau is a strong contender for a Rajya Sabha seat. Tomorrow is the last day of filing nomination papers.

Mr Shinde, while filing his nomination papers today, was accompanied by Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, Ms Rau, and Mumbai Regional Congress Committee President Gurudas Kamat, among others.

Mr Patel and Mr Chavan were accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister R R Patil and PWD Minister Chhagan Bhujbal.

Former Deputy Chief Minister Gopinath Munde and Mumbai BJP President Prakash Mehta accompanied Prof Apte when he filed his nomination papers today.

Mr Patel, Mr Chavan and Prof Apte have been renominated by their respective parties. MrJoshi is contesting the Rajya Sabha elections for the first time while Mr Shinde was a Rajya Sabha member from 1992 to 1998.

Mr Patel and Mr Chavan have thanked NCP chief and Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar for renominating them for the Rajya Sabha elections.

UNI