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Lobbying on for three Rajasthan RS seats
Though the election for the three Rajya Sabha seats from Rajasthan is still about one-and-a- half month away, Congress aspirants have already started lobbying for tickets in Jaipur and Delhi.
They seem to be sure that the selection process would start soon after the five State Assembly election results are declared on March 6.
The three members whose term is ending in April are Ramdas Agrawal of BJP, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, national spokesman of the Congress and Narender Budhania of the same party.
As per the respective strengths of the ruling Congress and the Opposition BJP, the former would be able to win two seats and one would go to the BJP.
According to Congress sources, Singhvi may get another term. As far as the second seat is concerned, it is considered a foregone conclusion that it would go to a Jat leader. For this, Chief Minister Gehlot’s suggested candidate would be given due weightage.
Gehlot is finding it difficult to select one of his loyalists among the Jat leaders. Chandrabhan, Pradesh Congress Committee president and Budhania are equally close to Gehlot and both are sure that his name would be recommended.
Budhania had served Rajya Sabha only for one year as he was elected in a byelection. At that time he was promised that he would be given a full-term next time. But party sources said that Gehlot may favour Chandrabhan, to whom he had helped become party president.
In the last Rajya Sabha election, two term RS member and former Minister Santosh Bagdodia could not get the party ticket. On the advice of the party leaders, he contested the election as an independent. He and party members were confident that with party’s surplus votes and by mustering the support of independents, he would be able to defeat Ram Jethmalani of the BJP. But this did not happen. Sources said that living in Delhi, he is engaged in intense lobbying to become the party candidate.
As far as the BJP is concerned, party sources said the matter would be discussed only after the outcome of the election of five Assemblies is known.
Though the election for the three Rajya Sabha seats from Rajasthan is still about one-and-a- half month away, Congress aspirants have already started lobbying for tickets in Jaipur and Delhi.
They seem to be sure that the selection process would start soon after the five State Assembly election results are declared on March 6.
The three members whose term is ending in April are Ramdas Agrawal of BJP, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, national spokesman of the Congress and Narender Budhania of the same party.
As per the respective strengths of the ruling Congress and the Opposition BJP, the former would be able to win two seats and one would go to the BJP.
According to Congress sources, Singhvi may get another term. As far as the second seat is concerned, it is considered a foregone conclusion that it would go to a Jat leader. For this, Chief Minister Gehlot’s suggested candidate would be given due weightage.
Gehlot is finding it difficult to select one of his loyalists among the Jat leaders. Chandrabhan, Pradesh Congress Committee president and Budhania are equally close to Gehlot and both are sure that his name would be recommended.
Budhania had served Rajya Sabha only for one year as he was elected in a byelection. At that time he was promised that he would be given a full-term next time. But party sources said that Gehlot may favour Chandrabhan, to whom he had helped become party president.
In the last Rajya Sabha election, two term RS member and former Minister Santosh Bagdodia could not get the party ticket. On the advice of the party leaders, he contested the election as an independent. He and party members were confident that with party’s surplus votes and by mustering the support of independents, he would be able to defeat Ram Jethmalani of the BJP. But this did not happen. Sources said that living in Delhi, he is engaged in intense lobbying to become the party candidate.
As far as the BJP is concerned, party sources said the matter would be discussed only after the outcome of the election of five Assemblies is known.
