Rama Krishna Sangem
Congress top leader Sonia Gandhi has filed her nomination papers for Rajya Sabha seat from Rajasthan. February 15 is the last date for filing of nominations for biennial elections to the Council of States of Indian parliament. Also called Upper House, Rajya Sabha time will have both Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Sonia Gandhi as members. This is the first time, Sonia will be entering Rajya Sabha.
After Indira Gandhi in late 1960s, Sonia Gandhi will be the second member from Nehru-Gandhi family to take Rajya Sabha route to parliament. From 1998, to till now, Sonia was in Lok Sabha, representing her mother-in-law Indira Gandhi’s Rae Bareli seat from Utter Pradesh. PM Modi while speaking at a meeting recently taunted Congress leadership saying some of them are afraid of contesting Lok Sabha elections and searching for a Rajya Sabha route.
Though Sonia considered southern states like Karnataka and Telangana for her RS seat, she finally selected Rajasthan. This is because of two reasons: Sonia wanted to represent some north Indian state so that the party can get a boost in the coming Lok Sabha elections. Secondly, Rajasthan Congress is badly divided between Ashok Gehlot and Rajesh Pilot camps.
There is only one seat Congress can win now, after the party’s defeat in recent assembly elections. It is found to be a tough task find one local candidate acceptable to both the camps. So, Sonia wanted to take that slot. Moreover, as Rahul Gandhi is already fighting Lok Sabha election from Wynad in Kerala, in the south, Sonia wanted to represent a north India state like Rajasthan.
Sonia is sure to be elected from Rajsthan. Born on December 6, 1946 (77 years old), Sonia Gandhi will in parliament till 2030. This way, she can be the chairperson of Congress parliamentary party for another six years. Though her health is in a poor condition (this is the one reason why she preferred the RS route instead of fighting a Lok Sabha eleciton), her presence in the party parliamentary wing will be crucial for Congress.
Nadda from Gajarat
BJP national president JP Nadda too will continue in Rajya Sabha, this time from Gujarat. Earlier, he represented Himachal Pradesh, but this time, Congress is in power in the state. BJP top leadership has decided to shift him from HP to Gujarat. BJP also fielded Ashok Chavan, former Maharasthra CM who just switched sides from Congress to BJP from the same state.
In Telangana, Congress fielded its candidates for the two seats it can easily win – former union minister Renuka Chowdary and youth leader Anil Kumar Yadav. Yadav’s son Anjan Kumar Yadav is a former Lok Sabha MP. While Renuka represents women quota and hails from Kamma community which stood solidly behind Congress in recent assembly elections in Telangana.
For 69 year old feisty Renuka Chowdary, Rajya Sabha seat this time is like her parliamentary career’s cycle turned full circle. She started her MP post via Rajya Sabha in 1986 from TDP, she won LS seat from Khammam earlier. A former union minister in the UPA regime, Renua Chowdary is close to the Gandhis in Delhi. She was asking for a LS ticket from Khammam again which is not to the liking of current Congress leaders from the dsitrict.
Anila Yadav is selected for RS seat primarily because of his OBC status and the need to have some MP from Hyderabad-Secunderabad region. Congress fared very badly in the recent assembly elections. This region comprises three Lok Sabha seats – Hyderabad, Secunderabad and Malkajgiri. Yadavs are a dominant community in these seats. Anil’s father Anjan may be fielded from Secunderabad LS seat.
