Tarun Chugh and Satish Poonia among key nominees as the party finalises candidates for polls across five states ahead of the June 18 elections
New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) unveiled its list of 11 candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections, triggering speculation of a possible Union Cabinet reshuffle after the names of Union ministers Ravneet Singh Bittu and George Kurian were omitted.
The party nominated senior leaders Tarun Chugh from Madhya Pradesh and Satish Poonia from Rajasthan, while also fielding Rajneesh Agrawal (Madhya Pradesh) and Alka Gurjar (Rajasthan). The Rajya Sabha terms of both Bittu and Kurian are set to end on June 21.
The omission of the two ministers, coupled with recent organisational changes within the BJP, has fuelled discussions about potential changes in the Union government. The term of Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri is also due to conclude later this year.
In Gujarat, the BJP named Rajubhai Shukla, Mukeshbhai Rathwa, Mansingh Parmar and Jitendra Meghjibhai Kanzariya as its candidates. In Odisha, the party selected Debashish Samantaray, a former BJD leader who recently joined the BJP.
The party also announced A. Sharda Devi as its nominee from Manipur and Tai Tagak from Arunachal Pradesh.
Rajya Sabha elections for 24 seats across 10 states are scheduled for June 18, alongside bypolls for one seat each in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Odisha. The deadline for filing nominations is June 8.
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