SHIFTING HOUSE

Rajya Sabha veterans who have finally squared up to the ballot—and won—will be a welcome addition in the House of the People

- Dhaval S. Kulkarni, Jumana Shah, Arkamoy Datta Majumdar and Amitabh Srivastava

THE DEBUTANTS | EX-RAJYA SABHA MPS

ANIL DESAI, 66

SS (UBT) | Mumbai South Central, Maharashtra

A two-term MP in the upper house, Desai’s affable self sets him aside from the archetypal Shiv Sainik. Yet, the party veteran was a crucial backroom strategist for the undivided Shiv Sena. A former employee of the New India Assurance Company, Desai heads the Sthaniya Lokadhikar Hakka Mahasangh, the Sena’s union for whitecollar workers. Originally from Canacona in Goa, Desai is a close confidant of party chief Uddhav Thackeray, and was chosen to take on two-term Sena MP Rahul Shewale of the Shinde faction. It proved a wise choice, though the win was aided by overwhelming Muslim and Christian support.

PIYUSH GOYAL, 60

BJP | Mumbai North, Maharashtra