BJP names 4 candidates for Rajya Sabha poll in Rajasthan

Our Correspondent

Jaipur, May 29

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday named four candidates, including Union Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu and party vice-president Om Prakash Mathur, for the Rajya Sabha biennial polls slated for June 11.

Apart from Naidu and Mathur — member of Dungarpur royal family Harsh Vardhan Singh and Dalit leader Ram Kumar Verna have been announced.

In the 200 member Rajasthan Legislative Assembly, BJP has 160 MLAs while the Congress has just 24. There are seven independent MLAs, four MLAs of National People’s Party, three of National Unionist Zamindara Party, and two of BSP.

Even if these 16 MLAs unite with Congress’ 24, the strength would be 40. To win a Rajya Sabha seat, a contestant should get 41 MLA votes on priority basis.

There would be a very bleak chance for the Congress to field any candidate in this situation, the party sources told TNS.

BJP’s four candidates may win uncontested if no other nomination is filed till May 31, the last day for filing nominations.

Three Rajya Sabha seats will fall vacant after Ashq Ali Tak (Congress), and BJP’s Ram Jethmalani, and Vijayendra Pal Singh would retire from their seats in Rajasthan by July 4. Congress MP Anand Sharma had already resigned from his seat on March 7.