NOTWITHSTANDING HIS indifferent health, Union Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh will be the lone Congress candidate from Madhya Pradesh for the forthcoming Rajya Sabha biennial elections. Of the other Congress members of the Upper House who are retiring next month, P K Maheshwari is ruled out for a second nomination while Union Law Minister Hansraj Bharadwaj is said to be hoping for nomination from Haryana.
According to party sources, official announcement of Arjun Singh’s candidature is likely on March 15. Last date for filing of nomination is March 17 and he is likely to file the papers the same day.
The Congress strength of 39 in the 230-member MP Assembly enables one party candidate to make it to the Rajya Sabha. Besides, support of CPM’s Ramlakhan Sharma and those of BSP’s four members will be a safeguard against any unlikely situation of cross-voting within the Congress.
However, support of Samajwadi Party’s five members to the Congress candidate is highly unlikely, given the bitter ties between the two parties in Uttar Pradesh. The Congress has exactly the same number of MLAs (39) as first preference votes required for a candidate to romp home.
The BJP has already announced names of all its four candidates seeking election to the Rajya Sabha from Madhya Pradesh. They include former Union ministers Vikram Verma and Sushma Swaraj, Anusuiya Uike and Narayan Kesri.
{{/usCountry}}The BJP has already announced names of all its four candidates seeking election to the Rajya Sabha from Madhya Pradesh. They include former Union ministers Vikram Verma and Sushma Swaraj, Anusuiya Uike and Narayan Kesri.
{{/usCountry}}Announcement of Arjun Singh’s candidature is likely on March 15. Last date for filing of nomination is March 17 and he is likely to file the papers the same day.