The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday announced its list of 11 candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections. The nominees include prominent party leaders Satish Poonia from Rajasthan and Tarun Chugh from Madhya Pradesh.
List of BJP Rajya Sabha nominees
The BJP's central election committee released the names of the candidates who will contest the biennial elections to the upper house of Parliament. Among the notable names, Satish Poonia, a former Rajasthan BJP president, has been fielded from Rajasthan. Tarun Chugh, the party's national general secretary, will contest from Madhya Pradesh.
Candidates from various states
The list includes candidates from several states. From Bihar, the party has nominated two candidates: former deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi and Rajiv Pratap Rudy. From Uttar Pradesh, the BJP has fielded former Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and party spokesperson Anil Baluni. From Haryana, the party has nominated former Union minister Krishan Pal Gurjar. From Karnataka, the candidate is former chief minister Jagadish Shettar. From Maharashtra, the party has fielded former minister of state for home affairs G. Kishan Reddy. From Gujarat, the candidate is former state party president C. R. Paatil. From Jharkhand, the party has nominated former chief minister Arjun Munda.
Significance of the nominations
The Rajya Sabha elections are crucial for the BJP as it seeks to strengthen its majority in the upper house. The current strength of the BJP in the Rajya Sabha is 92, and with these new members, the party hopes to increase its numbers. The elections are scheduled to take place in June.
Satish Poonia's nomination from Rajasthan is seen as a strategic move, given his strong organizational base in the state. He has served as the state party chief and has been a key figure in the BJP's rise in Rajasthan. Tarun Chugh, who hails from Punjab, has been given a Rajya Sabha berth from Madhya Pradesh, highlighting the party's trust in his organizational skills.
Reactions from party leaders
Party president J. P. Nadda congratulated all the nominees and expressed confidence in their ability to represent the party effectively in the Rajya Sabha. He said that the candidates have been chosen based on their experience and contribution to the party. Several other leaders also extended their best wishes to the candidates.
The opposition parties have criticized the BJP's selection, alleging that it lacks representation from certain sections of society. However, the BJP has defended its choices, stating that the candidates reflect the party's inclusive approach.
The Rajya Sabha elections will be held on June 19, and the counting of votes will take place on the same day. The BJP is expected to win most of the seats it is contesting, given its strength in various state assemblies.
