BJP-supported candidate Parimal Nathwani files nomination for RS polls from Jharkhand, says people hopeful he will get elected
Ranchi, June 8
BJP-supported independent candidate Parimal Nathwani on Monday filed his nomination papers for Rajya Sabha polls in Jharkhand and said he will seek votes on the basis of the work he has done.
Nathwani's candidature has made the Rajya Sabha contest in the state interesting as there are now three candidates for two seats in the state.
The ruling JMM and Congress, which is an ally in the ruling coalition in the state, have fielded a candidate each.
BJP needs some extra votes to get the candidate it is backing through in the polls. Today is the last date of filing nominations for the biennial elections to the Rajya Sabha.
JMM candidate Baidyanath Ram and Congress candidate Pranav Jha have filed their nominations for the Rajya Sabha polls.
Nathwani, a former MP, said he has received support from the people. "Having spent 12 years here, Jharkhand is not new to me. I am hopeful that I will get an opportunity to serve as a Rajya Sabha MP. I will seek votes based on the work I have done; that work is visible to the public and speaks for itself. It would be wrong not to continue with it," he told reporters.
The Election Commission issued a notification for biennial elections for the 24 Rajya Sabha seats on June 1.
The seats include four each in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat, three seats each in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, two seats in Jharkhand, and one seat each in Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Manipur and Meghalaya.
Notification was also issued for the Rajya Sabha bypoll for a seat each in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Odisha.
The BJP has fielded Tai Tagak from Arunachal Pradesh; Rajubhai Shukla, Mukeshbhai Rathwa, Mansingh Parmar and Jitendra Meghjibhai Kanzariya from Gujarat; Tarun Chugh and Rajneesh Agrawal from Madhya Pradesh; A Sharda Devi from Manipur; and Alka Gurjar and Satish Poonia from Rajasthan.
— ANI
Reader Comments
BJP backing an independent candidate shows they know they don't have the numbers outright. But Nathwani has been in Jharkhand for over a decade, so his claim of local connect isn't baseless. Let's see if his work really speaks louder than party loyalty.
Whether he's BJP-supported or independent, let's hope he actually represents Jharkhand's interests in Delhi. Too many MPs forget regional issues once they reach Rajya Sabha. The tribal welfare and mining issues here need serious voices.
Politics as usual in India - 'independent' candidate with clear party backing, making a three-way race for two seats. The JMM-Congress alliance seems confident, but Nathwani could spoil the math if some MLAs cross-vote. Should be interesting to watch.
Nathwani says his work is visible to public - that's a bold claim but not entirely wrong. He has been involved in development projects in Jharkhand. However, calling yourself 'independent' while BJP banks you seems disingenuous. Be honest with voters, ji.
Rajya Sabha elections are always about numbers and horse-trading. Nathwani as BJP-backed independent is a clever tactic - lets BJP avoid official defeat but still claim credit. Let's hope the people's issues don't get lost in this political chess game. 🤷♀️
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