Jaipur, May 22 (IANS) The Election Commission of India has announced the schedule for elections to three Rajya Sabha seats from Rajasthan, with polling on June 18 and results to be declared the same day.
The seats are falling vacant following the completion of the terms of Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu, BJP MP Rajendra Gehlot, and Congress MP Neeraj Dangi on June 21.
On the BJP side, discussions regarding potential candidates reportedly took place during the party’s state core committee meeting held on May 16. Following deliberations, the committee authorised Rajasthan BJP president Madan Rathore and Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma to forward the final panel of names to the central leadership.
According to party sources, the BJP may field a candidate from the native OBC community for one of the two Rajya Sabha seats, keeping in mind caste equations and the political landscape in Rajasthan. Deliberations for the second seat are still going on.
The Congress, meanwhile, is yet to finalise its panel of candidates for the Rajya Sabha polls. Party sources indicate that the decision will be taken by the central leadership in Delhi. Several leaders from both Rajasthan and the national level are reportedly in contention for the party’s lone winnable seat. However, the final picture is expected to emerge only after the party leadership formally constitutes its panel.
Given the current strength of political parties in the Rajasthan Assembly, the BJP is expected to comfortably secure two seats, while the Congress is likely to retain one seat.
Political observers say the election could even be uncontested if the BJP refrains from fielding a third candidate and the Congress does not nominate a second candidate.
However, no official decision has been taken by either party yet, and the final scenario will depend on candidate selection strategies, said political observers.
The Election Commission of India on Friday announced elections to the 24 Rajya Sabha seats on June 18, including that of three from Rajasthan.
–IANS
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