A day after the announcement of Supreme Court lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi as the Congress candidate for the Rajya Sabha seat in Himachal Pradesh, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) swiftly countered by nominating Harsh Mahajan, who had previously been associated with the Congress party.
Mahajan, formerly regarded as a close aide to Congress leader and six-time Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, crossed over to the BJP ranks in 2022. The saffron party's decision to nominate Mahajan was made on Thursday, the final day for filing nominations ahead of the February 27 Rajya Sabha elections.
This development marks a significant political move as both major parties battle for influence in the region, setting the stage for a competitive electoral contest in the upcoming polls.
Mahajan switched to BJP in 2022
A three-time Chamba MLA, Mahajan was previously associated with Congress as its working president and switched to BJP before the 2022 assembly elections. Now a member of BJP's core group, Mahajan expressed confidence in his victory after filing nomination papers.
The Congress holds 40 out of 68 seats in the house, while BJP has 25 seats, with three independents. While opposition parties typically don't nominate candidates for Rajya Sabha elections, Mahajan's candidacy has added intrigue to the contest.
BJP fields Nadda from Gujarat
The seat, currently held by BJP national president JP Nadda, will be vacant after his tenure expires on April 2. Meanwhile, the BJP has nominated Nadda for the Upper House from Gujarat this time.
Upcoming Rajya Sabha elections
The Election Commission said that the biennial Rajya Sabha polls will be held on February 27 for 56 seats, as the tenure of incumbents including former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and BJP president JP Nadda will end in April.
The vacancies also include seats held by nine Union ministers including Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav and Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya.
The nomination process began on February 8 with the issuance of the notification. February 15 will be the last date for filing nominations while February 20 is the last date to withdraw candidature. As per the established practice, while voting will take place from 9 am to 4 pm, the counting will be held on the same day from 5 pm onwards.
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