Bhopal/Jaipur/Gandhinagar: Rajya Sabha elections took sharply different turns across three BJP-governed states on Monday. Madhya Pradesh hurtled into a high-stakes numbers battle after the BJP sprang a surprise third candidate, while Rajasthan and Gujarat cruised towards unopposed outcomes.
Madhya Pradesh: A Numbers Game
In Madhya Pradesh, the Congress has been put on red alert. Sources within the party said the high command has decided to shift its MLAs to Bengaluru on Tuesday to foil any poaching attempt. Congress nominee Meenakshi Natarajan and BJP’s Mahesh Kewat filed nominations, setting up a contest rich in intrigue, arithmetic, and allegations ahead of the June 18 polling. Congress functionaries closed ranks around Natarajan, while the BJP doubled down on its claim that it would sweep all three seats despite lacking enough votes on its own for a clean third victory.
“They speak of women’s empowerment, but they have fielded a candidate against our woman nominee despite lacking 8-10 MLAs. They will try to influence MLAs by any means. This is an attempt to crush democracy,” MP Congress chief Jitu Patwari alleged.
The BJP, with 164 MLAs in the 230-member assembly, is comfortably placed to bag two seats. A candidate needs 58 votes to win, leaving Kewat dependent on surplus votes, cross-voting, or abstentions. Former state Congress chief Kantilal Bhuria alleged that the BJP was offering MLAs between Rs 5 crore and Rs 10 crore each to back its candidate, a charge the BJP has denied.
Rajasthan: Uncontested Victory
Rajasthan, by contrast, saw suspense evaporate. Only three candidates filed nominations for three vacancies, clearing the path for an uncontested election. The BJP fielded former state president Satish Poonia and Alka Gurjar, while the Congress re-nominated sitting MP Neeraj Dangi. Unless scrutiny throws up surprises, all three will be declared elected after nominations are vetted.
Gujarat: Smooth Sailing for BJP
Gujarat offered an even clearer picture. All four BJP nominees — Raju Shukla, Mansinh Parmar, Mukesh Rathwa, and Jitendra Kanjariya — filed papers in Gandhinagar and are headed to unopposed victories after the Congress stayed out of the race. The BJP holds 161 seats in the 182-member assembly, making the outcome a foregone conclusion. Once elected, all four will replace outgoing BJP MPs Ram Mokariya, Narhari Amin, and Ramila Bara, and Congress MP Shaktisinh Gohil. The Congress, short of numbers, will be left without a Rajya Sabha member from Gujarat.
