At least four Ministers in the Modi Cabinet are waiting for confirmation from State units for re-nomination to the Rajya Sabha as polls for 56 seats in the Upper House are scheduled for June 11. Parliamentary Affairs Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu is awaiting a nod from Karnataka, his junior minister in the same department, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi from Uttar Pradesh and Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who represents a seat from Andhra Pradesh, with some votes from the Telegu Desam Party (TDP), is also due for re-election, as is Minister of State for Science and Technology and TDP member Y.S. Chowdhary from the same State.
The terms of these Ministers will end in July.
Power Minister Piyush Goyal has already been nominated by the Maharashtra State unit of the party and Rural Development Minister Birendra Singh is likely to get re-elected from Haryana while Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu, who had been elected from the same State, may get a nod from Maharashtra or Haryana, in the same batch.
Venkaiah uncertainAccording to sources in the BJP, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi should not have any trouble being nominated from Uttar Pradesh. Mr. Naidu, whose nomination from Karnataka had approval of State unit chief B.S. Yeddyurappa, is facing a social media backlash for not being a local.
Ms. Sitharaman will have to depend on TDP support in Andhra Pradesh to get a fresh term — she had been elected on this joint BJP-TDP seat for a two-year term. The TDP is not exactly happy with the Modi government over the State reorganisation package offered to A.P.
TDP quid pro quoChief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu is waiting for some terms to be offered before extending support for a full six year term to Ms. Sitharaman. “Mahanadu or the foundation day of the party is being celebrated in Andhra over the weekend, therefore, there might be a decision only by Monday,” said a source in the TDP.
