BJP announces Rajya Sabha candidates for March 16 polls; Sanjay Bhatia from Haryana, Nitin Nabin from Bihar
PTC Web Desk: The BJP has announced its nominees for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections scheduled for March 16, naming former Lok Sabha member Sanjay Bhatia from Haryana and Bihar BJP president Nitin Nabin among its key candidates.
In Haryana, the party has reposed its faith in Sanjay Bhatia, a former Member of Parliament and a trusted associate of former Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar. His nomination is being viewed as a sign of Khattar’s sustained clout within the state unit of the party.
From Bihar, the BJP has fielded state president Nitin Nabin, whose elevation to the top organisational post had already triggered speculation about a possible Rajya Sabha berth. Currently serving as an MLA in the Bihar Assembly, Nabin is set to enter the Upper House for the first time. The party has also named Shivesh Kumar as its second candidate from the state.
In Chhattisgarh, Lakshmi Verma has been selected as the BJP nominee. Odisha will see two candidates backed by the party, senior leader Manmohan Samal and former BJD leader Sujit Kumar. For the lone Rajya Sabha seat from West Bengal, the BJP has chosen Rahul Sinha.
However, the party is yet to finalise its candidates for Maharashtra, where seven Rajya Sabha seats are falling vacant. Sources indicate that the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is in a comfortable position to secure six of these seats. The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has already announced the candidature of Parth Pawar, son of late Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, from its quota.
- With inputs from agencies
