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Race for Rajya Sabha seat hots up: Himachal BJP poll panel to meet shortly
Former two-term Lok Sabha MP Virender Kashyap and ex-MLA from Arki Govind Ram Sharma have also submitted their claims for the Rajya Sabha seat
With senior Congress leader Anand Sharma’s Rajya Sabha tenure ending this month, race for the lone seat in the upper house has begun in the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Himachal Pradesh.
Former two-term Lok Sabha MP Virender Kashyap and ex-MLA from Arki Govind Ram Sharma have also submitted their claims for the Rajya Sabha seat.
Former BJP MP from Shimla, Kashyap has put his name forward with the state party leadership, including CM Jai Ram Thakur, state president Suresh Kashyap and organisation general secretary Pawan Rana.
Govind Ram Sharma had represented Arki seat twice, but was denied the ticket in 2017 assembly elections and 2021 by-elections.
It may be noted that Anand Sharma’s tenure as Rajya Sabha MP is being completed this month. The date of election has also been announced.
A notification will be issued for one seat of Rajya Sabha on March 14. The last date for filing nomination papers would be March 21, the date for scrutiny of nominations would be March 22, the last date for withdrawal of nominations would be March 24 and the voting will be held on March 31.
Many in the BJP are vying for the seat. Also prominent among them is Mahendra Pandey, who has served as the organisation secretary of party in Himachal in the past.
Pandey originally hails from Uttarakhand and in the BJP, a section is in favour of giving preference to local leaders.
Kashyap and Govind Ram Sharma argue that both of them were denied tickets while being sitting MP and MLA and still they worked for party’s victory in the elections and thus deserve to be the candidate for Rajya Sabha.
Names of general secretary (organisation) for north-eastern states Ajay Jamwal, Himachal BJP spokesperson Ajay Rana and former MP Maheshwar Singh are also doing rounds.
Names for the Rajya Sabha seat will be shortlisted by the state election committee. “So far, the discussions are at very initial stage. Names will be shortlisted in consultation with the high command and state leaders,” said Trilok Jamwal, party’s general secretary and political adviser to chief minister.
Speculations are rife that after the nomination to Rajya Sabha, the party may also go for a cabinet reshuffle.
Chief minister Jai Ram Thakur will fly to Delhi on Friday to meet central leaders, including national party chief JP Nadda, home minister Amit Shah and finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
It is also being said that one or two ministers may be dropped from the cabinet and the Rajya Sabha candidate will be chosen amongst them.
BJP’s massive victory is the referendum of people: Jai Ram
Chief minister Jai Ram Thakur said the BJP’s massive victory in four states was a referendum of people and their faith in the policies and programmes of the BJP government at the Centre and states. He said that the people of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur have reposed full faith in the BJP. He said it is once again clear that the people of country want strong and able leadership and they feel safe and secure in the hands of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Jai Ram said with the results of these states, it was now clear that the BJP would definitely ensure ‘Mission Repeat’ in Himachal too, as people of the country as well as the state have no hope from the Congress, which has been totally rejected in five states where polls were held recently.
Later, the chief minister celebrated the BJP’s victory with his cabinet colleagues, party’s state president and MLAs in Shimla.
