Nationalist Congress Party MLA Rohit Pawar stated on Thursday that the Maha Vikas Aghadi will back Ambadas Danve as its candidate for the Maharashtra Legislative Council (MLC).

He explained that Uddhav Thackeray chose to nominate a party worker rather than occupy the seat himself.

Pawar commended Danve’s work as Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council and noted that leaders from both the NCP and Congress are expected to finalise their position within a day.

Addressing reporters, Rohit Pawar said, “We had expected that the most senior leader, Uddhav Thackeray, would get the seat for MLC there, but he himself decided that instead, he would put a Shiv Sainik forward. Danve ji has done good work as the Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council. We, the Maha Vikas Aghadi, will definitely support Ambadas Danve. Our leaders will play their role in this matter, and the Congress will also play its role on this by this evening or tomorrow.”

Earlier, Pawar remembered his uncle and late Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar amid bye-elections in the Baramati Assembly constituency. The seat became vacant following Ajit Pawar’s death in a plane crash on January 28. His wife, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar, is contesting the seat on an NCP ticket.

Rohit Pawar cast his vote at the polling booth at Zilla Parishad Primary School in Pimpli Village and reflected on the somber mood on polling day, saying the constituency had lost one of its prominent leaders. He expressed confidence that Sunetra Pawar would secure a significant mandate.