External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar files nomination for Rajya Sabha from Gujarat

Four years ago, Mr. Jaishankar had filed his nomination for the first time from Gujarat for the Rajya Sabha

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar files his nomination papers for the upcoming Rajya Sabha polls in Gandhinagar on July 10, 2023. Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel is also seen. | Photo Credit: Twitter/@DrSJaishankar

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on July 11 filed his nomination for Rajya Sabha for second time from Gujarat.

The ruling party has repeated him from the state where three members of the Rajya Sabha retiring. Other two members are Jugal Thakor and Dinesh Anavadiya, both have not been repeated by the party.

At the Gujarat Assembly secretariat where he filed his nomination papers, he was accompanied by the state Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and state party chief CR Paatil.

“First of all I would like to express gratitude to PM Modi, BJP leadership and people and MLAs of Gujarat. Four years back, I received the honour to represent Gujarat in the Rajya Sabha,” he told media after submitting his papers.

Mr Jaishankar was sworn in as cabinet minister in the government in 2019. He was then nominated to the Upper House to the seat vacated by Union home Minister Amit Shah who was elected to the Lok Sabha in 2019 from Gandhinagar.

Meanwhile, there is no clarity yet on two other candidates the ruling party is supposed to declare.

According to sources in Gandhinagar; the candidates will be declared by the central BJP leadership from Delhi.

Meanwhile, the Congress decided to not field any candidate for three Rajya Sabha seats from Gujarat as it did not have enough MLAs in the 182-member Assembly.

Notably, of the 11 Rajya Sabha seats from Gujarat, eight are currently held by BJP and the others by Congress.