Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said it is a matter of "immense pride" for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that it has got the first-ever Rajya Sabbha MP from Puducherry. The Prime Minister was celebrating the election of S Selvaganapathy.
"It is a matter of immense pride for every BJP Karyakarta that our Party has got it’s first ever Rajya Sabha MP from Puducherry in Shri S. Selvaganabathy Ji. The trust placed in us by the people of Puducherry is humbling. We will keep working for Puducherry’s progress," PM Modi said on Twitter.
Selvaganapathy was on Monday declared elected to the lone seat in Rajya Sabha from Puducherry without any contest. The election to the Rajya Sabha seat from the union territory were scheduled for October 4, as incumbent member N Gokulakrishnan's term is ending on October 6.
{{/usCountry}}Selvaganapathy was on Monday declared elected to the lone seat in Rajya Sabha from Puducherry without any contest. The election to the Rajya Sabha seat from the union territory were scheduled for October 4, as incumbent member N Gokulakrishnan's term is ending on October 6.
{{/usCountry}}But, Selvaganapathy was declared winner as his nomination alone was found in order during scrutiny of papers while nominations of five other candidates (Independents) were rejected as they did not have the required number of proposers, said secretary to the territorial assembly R Mounisamy.
This is the first time the BJP got representation from Puducherry in the Upper House.
Selvaganapathy will be the 10th member from Puducherry to the Rajya Sabha since 1962. He is an educationist and proprietor of a higher secondary school and a teachers' college. Selvaganapathy was earlier a nominated MLA in the Puducherry assembly and currently working as the treasurer of the BJP's local unit.
He filed the nomination with the support of the All India NR Congress (AINRC) heading the coalition government in Puducherry. Chief minister N Rangasamy was present when Selvaganapathy filed the nomination.
The BJP is in power in alliance with the AINRC in the union territory.
Apart from Puducherry, bypolls are also being held to Rajya Sabha seats including two in Tamil Nadu and one seat each in West Bengal, Maharashtra, Assam and Madhya Pradesh.