In a twist to the Rajya Sabha election in Rajasthan, a new BJP-backed independent candidate has made a surprise entry. The eleventh-hour nomination of media baron Subhash Chandra has set up a contest for a seat in Rajasthan, where elections are due next year.
Subhash Chandra, the chairperson of the Essel Group, is the fifth candidate for the Rajya Sabha elections in Rajasthan.
There are four Rajya Sabha seats in Rajasthan; the Congress is in a position to win three and the BJP, one.
There will now be a contest for the fourth seat with Subhash Chandra's entry as the fifth candidate. He will challenge the Congress's Pramod Tiwari, who, as an Uttar Pradesh resident, is an "outsider".
The BJP reportedly made a calculated move, with a sharp eye on the resentment simmering in the state's ruling Congress, and the Ashok Gehlot versus Sachin Pilot feud that threatens to explode any time. The Congress is also facing anger over its choice of Rajya Sabha candidates - all belonging to other states.
The three Congress candidates are Randeep Surjewala, Mukul Wasnik and Pramod Tiwari.
The BJP's candidate is Ghanshyam Tiwari, a former minister of the Vasundhara Raje cabinet.
AdvertisementIn the 200-member Rajasthan assembly, each candidate needs 41 votes to win.
The Congress has 108 MLAs and the BJP has 71 votes. They have 30 surplus votes, but to win a second seat, they need another 11.
AdvertisementTo win a third seat, the Congress needs 15 more votes.
Smaller parties and independents will therefore play a critical role in who wins the seat.
AdvertisementThere are 13 independents, two Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) members, two of the Bhartiya Tribal Party (BTP) and two CPM MLAs, who may be the deciding factor.
While the BJP is banking on the independents, the Congress is depending on smaller parties and the Left for support.
