The BJP’s Central Election Committee surprised everyone tonight by announcing two candidates for three seats of the Rajya Sabha biennial polls in Rajasthan, slated for February 27.
Madan Rathore, former MLA of Sumerpur and Chunnilal Garasia, a state party functionary, have been made candidates, Arun Singh, National General Secretary of the party, said in a statement in New Delhi.
Meanwhile, Congress PCC President Govind Singh Dotasara and Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Tikaram Jully appealed to the party high command to field Sonia Gandhi to represent Rajasthan in the Upper House of Parliament.
Former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and Union Minister Bhupendra Yadav will retire on April 3, 2024. The third seat fell vacant following the resignation of BJP’s RS MP Kirori Lal Meena, who contested the Assembly election and is now the Agriculture Minister in the state government.
The last date of filing nomination papers is February 15.
Of the 200 members of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly, the ruling BJP has a strength of 115 MLAs, Congress 70, Bharatiya Tribal Party 3, BSP 2, RLD 1, RLP 1 and Independents 8. Hence the BJP will win two seats, and the Congress one if the election goes uncontested on February 27.
