BJP picks 14 names for Rajya Sabha elections

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday released its list of Rajya Sabha candidates for 14 seats, which include former Congress minister RPN Singh and six others for Uttar Pradesh, and a mix of leaders from other states, aimed at balancing caste equations and boosting organisational morale and strength.

- Sunetra Choudhury

Apart from Singh, the ruling party has accommodated two state presidents and other regional leaders in the list for the Rajya Sabha. The Election Commission will hold polls for 56 seats on February 27, with results to be announced the same day.

Conspicuous by their absence are the names of sitting ministers on the list. Nine Union ministers are among MPs whose terms end in April, including IT and railways minister Ashwini Vaishnaw (from Odisha), environment minister Bhupender Yadav (Rajasthan), education minister Dharmendra Pradhan (Madhya Pradesh), health minister Mansukh Mandaviya (Gujarat), minister of micro, small and medium enterprises Narayan Rane (Maharashtra) and minister of state for IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar (Karnataka).

The terms of BJP president JP Nadda (Himachal Pradesh) and former PM Manmohan Singh (Rajasthan) are also ending in April.

On the whole, these elections are not expected to change the balance between the treasury and the opposition strength in the House.

From Karnataka, the party has nominated Narayana Krishanasa Bhandage as their candidate. A grassroots Sangh leader, he has been associated with the party from the beginning. His candidature suggests union minister Chandrashekhar will contest Lok Sabha elections, possibly from Kerala.