The Bharatiya Janata Party sprang a surprise on Friday when it fielded two candidates from Rajasthan for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections. The biennial polls for three seats of the Upper House from the State, scheduled for March 26, will witness a tough fight between the BJP and the ruling Congress.
The BJP, which had earlier announced its State unit vice-president and former Minister Rajendra Gehlot as its sole candidate, fielded former MP Onkar Singh Lakhawat on the last day for filing of nomination papers on Friday. As the Congress has also fielded two candidates, a tough contest is on the cards for the three seats.
Mr. Gehlot and Mr. Lakhawat, accompanied by Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Gulab Chand Kataria, filed their nomination papers at the Assembly Secretariat. Mr. Lakhawat told reporters that he had received instructions from BJP president J.P. Nadda to file his nomination as the party's official candidate.
Nominations filed
Congress candidates K.C. Venugopal and Neeraj Dangi submitted their nomination papers to the Assembly Secretary and Returning Officer Pramil Mathur in the presence of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Deputy CM Sachin Pilot and government chief whip Mahesh Joshi.
AICC general secretary Mr. Venugopal, who earlier represented the Alappuzha Lok Sabha constituency in Kerala, had opted out of contesting the 2019 general elections because of his organisational responsibilities. Mr. Dangi, a former Youth Congress State president, is considered a confidant of Mr. Gehlot. He had unsuccessfully contested three Assembly elections in the past.
With its tally of 107 MLAs in the 200-member House and the support of Rashtriya Lok Dal and Independents, the ruling Congress could have an easy win on two of the Rajya Sabha seats in the absence of a formidable opposition. The fight will be tough with the entry of two BJP nominees.
Of the 10 Rajya Sabha seats in Rajasthan, nine — including the three whose tenure is going to complete next month — are held by the BJP.
