NEW DELHI: BJP president Amit Shah is set to make his debut in Parliament as he will contest the Rajya Sabha polls from Gujarat on August 8. Shah is a sitting MLA from Naranpura in Ahmedabad.
Health minister J P Nadda made the announcement after the party's parliamentary board meeting on Wednesday.
I&B and textiles minister Smriti Irani will be BJP's other Rajya Sabha nominee from Gujarat. Irani's tenure as an MP of the Upper House ends on August 18.
The parliamentary board, attended by PM Narendra Modi, also named Sampatiya Uikey, a tribal leader from MP, for the Rajya Sabha bypoll necessitated by Anil Madhav Dave's death.
Shah is a five-term MLA but his presence in Parliament was increasingly felt as he has been busy with party activities in the national capital.
Moreover, the party will get a strong voice in the House of Elders. Shah and Irani are likely to file their nominations on Thursday.
Although BJP has only announced it will contest two seats, there is a possibility of a third candidate, which could create hurdles for Congress veteran Ahmed Patel who has filed his nomination.
ongress has 57 MLAs in the 182-member Gujarat assembly and Ahmed Patel will require the support of 45 MLAs to win. However, 11 Congress MLAs had voted for NDA's presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind and BJP has 27 surplus votes.
These include Irani, CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury and Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien. CPM has not renominated Yechury.
Health minister J P Nadda made the announcement after the party's parliamentary board meeting on Wednesday.
I&B and textiles minister Smriti Irani will be BJP's other Rajya Sabha nominee from Gujarat. Irani's tenure as an MP of the Upper House ends on August 18.
The parliamentary board, attended by PM Narendra Modi, also named Sampatiya Uikey, a tribal leader from MP, for the Rajya Sabha bypoll necessitated by Anil Madhav Dave's death.
Shah is a five-term MLA but his presence in Parliament was increasingly felt as he has been busy with party activities in the national capital.
Moreover, the party will get a strong voice in the House of Elders. Shah and Irani are likely to file their nominations on Thursday.
Although BJP has only announced it will contest two seats, there is a possibility of a third candidate, which could create hurdles for Congress veteran Ahmed Patel who has filed his nomination.
ongress has 57 MLAs in the 182-member Gujarat assembly and Ahmed Patel will require the support of 45 MLAs to win. However, 11 Congress MLAs had voted for NDA's presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind and BJP has 27 surplus votes.
These include Irani, CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury and Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien. CPM has not renominated Yechury.
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