BJP names Neeraj Shekhar its Rajya Sabha candidate from UP

Neeraj Shekhar is a two-time former Lok Sabha MP from Ballia. He lost in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls after which the Samajwadi Party named him its Rajya Sabha candidate.

Former Prime Minister the late Chandra Shekhar’s son Neeraj Shekhar, who had quit the Samajwadi Party and his Rajya Sabha membership to join the BJP on July 15, was rewarded by the BJP’s Parliamentary Board which named him as its candidate for the Upper House on Thursday.

Neeraj Shekhar, who had quit the Samajwadi Party and his Rajya Sabha membership to join the BJP on July 15, was rewarded by the BJP’s Parliamentary Board (ANI/Twitter)

Neeraj Shekhar is a two-time former Lok Sabha MP from Ballia. He lost in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls after which the Samajwadi Party named him its Rajya Sabha candidate. Shekhar’s Rajya Sabha tenure was to end on November 25, 2020 but he quit earlier this month to join the BJP.

Shekhar didn’t give any reason for quitting the SP, though he said he was drawn to the BJP due to the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“I will work with full commitment to the BJP,” Shekhar had said.

On Wednesday, the Election Commission of India announced by-poll for the seat vacated by Neeraj Shekhar and on Thursday the BJP declared him as its candidate. Polling, if required, will be held on August 26.

Two other Samajwadi Party MPs from Uttar Pradesh — Surendra Nagar and Sanjay Seth — also quit their Rajya Sabha membership recently.

The Election Commission is expected to issue a separate notification for the seats vacated by Nagar and Seth. The move has irked the SP which feels “separate notifications” would provide the BJP with an “unfair advantage” due to its massive majority in the UP assembly.