RS polls: Congress nominates Chandrakant Handore, a Dalit face from Maharashtra

Mumbai: The Congress on Wednesday announced the candidature of former Mumbai mayor Chandrakant Handore for the Rajya Sabha polls from Maharashtra.

A Dalit leader from Mumbai, Handore had lost the legislative council polls in 2022 despite the Congress having enough votes.

Handore, who has risen from the ranks, was a minister in the Congress-Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) government.

Handore's candidature comes as a boost for the Maharashtra Congress as the party leaders and workers had hoped that the central leadership will nominate a party worker from the state.

In the last Rajya Sabha polls held in 2022, the Congress had nominated Imran Pratapgarhi from Maharashtra.

A total of 56 members of the Rajya Sabha from 15 states are retiring in April and the election to the seats will be held on February 27. The last date for filing nominations is February 15.