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Kulkarni replaces Javadekar whose long RS stint to end in April
Not re-nominating Javadekar has brought an end the leader’s long tenure in the Rajya Sabha, with his prospects in electoral politics also likely to cease even as he is likely to be active in the party organisation
By nominating Medha Kulkarni for Rajya Sabha, the Bharatiya Janata Party, among other things, retained a representation of Pune in the Upper House. Among the six leaders to retire on April 2 from Rajya Sabha include Prakash Javadekar, a Pune-based leader politician who as a BJP member served in various capacities at the Centre.
Not re-nominating Javadekar has brought an end the leader’s long tenure in the Rajya Sabha, with his prospects in electoral politics also likely to cease even as he is likely to be active in the party organisation.
Javadekar, 73, is currently the party’s incharge for Kerala, a politically difficult state for the BJP.
First elected to the Upper House as a Member of Parliament from Maharashtra in 2008, Javadekar was re-elected from Madhya Pradesh in 2014. In 2018, he was once again nominated to the Upper House by the party from Maharashtra.
After the party announced three names on Wednesday, Javadekar congratulated them saying, “I have been working for BJP since 1971 and will continue to work for the party. I am confident that all those nominated by the party will win RS polls.”
Owing to his roots as Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) worker in Pune, Javadekar became active into politics after spending 18 months in jail during the Emergency years.
He political stint began as Member of Legislative Council from Pune’s Graduate Constituency in 1990 and retained the seat till 2002. Javadekar was later made spokesperson of the party in Mumbai and then became the national spokesperson.
He was first inducted into the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cabinet as minister of state for environment with independent charge.
Later, he also handled various portfolios, including information and broadcasting for a brief period and finally was made a cabinet minister for human resource development. As cabinet minister for Information and Broadcasting, Javadekar was dropped from the cabinet in 2021.
Known as a troubleshooter in the BJP, he was given responsibility of Karnataka during its assembly elections and Rajasthan during the Lok Sabha elections.
