Rajya Sabha elections: BJP will not field candidates, will give walkover to Manmohan Singh

Dayadra Mandal,  Kolkata:

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will give a walkover to former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh in the Rajya Sabha elections. The BJP has decided that it will not field a party candidate from Rajya Sabha candidate Dr Manmohan Singh from Rajasthan. This Rajya Sabha seat was vacated from Rajasthan after the death of Rajan Sabha member and state president of BJP Madan Lal Saini. Former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has been elected to the Rajya Sabha from Assam.

According to the BJP source, this decision has been taken by the central leadership of the party in Delhi. Senior BJP leader Gulabchand Kataria told India Today, "BJP will not field its Rajya Sabha candidate from Rajasthan."

Earlier on Tuesday, Manmohan Singh filed his nomination papers for the membership of Rajya Sabha in Jaipur. In Rajasthan, after the death of BJP state president Madan Lal Saini, one seat in the upper house has become vacant. An Election Commission official said that the by-election for the seat will be held on August 26. The last date for filing nomination papers is 14 August and the last date for withdrawal of nominations is 19 August.

Manmohan Singh (86), who came to nominate, was also present with Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot and senior Congress leader Avinash Pandey. Gehlot welcomed Manmohan Singh who arrived on Tuesday morning. Manmohan Singh has been a Rajya Sabha member of Congress from Assam for almost three decades. His term has ended on 14 June. After Manmohan Singh's election from Rajasthan, he will be a Rajya Sabha member by April 3, 2024.