No Mahajan family member to contest RS seat: Munde

Mumbai, May 31 (UNI) BJP Legislature Party leader Gopinath Munde today said none of the member from the Mahajan family would contest the Rajya Sabha election, for the seat falling vacant due to the death of Pramod Mahajan.

''Since the election for the Rajya Sabha seat, which has become vacant now, is not going to take place unopposed, no family member of late Pramod Mahajan will contest the same,'' he said in a press note issued here today.

There were rumours that Mahajan's family members-his wife Rekha or son Rahul would be elected unopposed from the seat. However, Congress never favoured this view, though NCP always maintained a soft corner for late Mahajan, Mr Munde added.

He said the party would announce its candidate for Rajya Sabha election soon. The date of filing the nomination papers starts from June 5.

However, Mr Munde said that Rahul would be joining politics and he, along with state BJP president Nitin Gadkari, requested the party high command to give him some responsibility in the party.

Congress maintained the stand that since NCP was given the seat of Shiv Sena vacated by Sajnay Nirupam; this time the seat should go to the party. Sources said Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee President Prabha Rau ''is the strong candidate for this seat.'' UNI JM PM HS KP2053