Mumbai: The Ajit Pawar-led NCP's Nitin Patil and BJP's Dhairyasheel Patil were elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha on seats vacated by Piyush Goyal and Udayanraje Bhosale, both of whom won the recent Lok Sabha polls.

While Bhosale won from Satara Lok Sabha seat, Union minister Goyal was elected from Mumbai North constituency. Nitin Patil accepted his RS appointment certificate on Monday. The NCP and the BJP are part of the ruling National Democratic Alliance.

Besides Dhairyasheel Patil, two Independents had filed nominations for the seat vacated by Bhosle and one Independent for the seat contested by Nitin Patil.

Earlier, Legislature officials revealed that the result of bypolls will be announced on August 26 as nominations of Independents will be rejected.

Goyal was re-elected to Rajya Sabha in June this year. Bhosale has been a member of the Upper House of Parliament since 2020.

Rajya Sabha members are elected by MLAs of a legislative assembly who vote in proportional representation with the single transferable vote (STV) system.

In the 288-member House, with effective strength reduced to 274 as 14 seats are vacant, BJP has 103 MLAs, NCP 42, Congress 37, Shiv Sena (UBT) 15, and NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) 10. 13 MLAs are Independents, Bahujan Vikas Aghadi 3, Samajwadi Party 2, AIMIM 2, and Prahar Janshakti Party 2.

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, CPI (M), Swabhimani Paksha, RSP, Jan Surajya Shakti Party, Krantikari Shetkari Paksha, and PWP have one member each.
(agency inputs)