Season of speculation over probable Rajya Sabha candidates

Ahmedabad, 16 January 2014

The question “who will be sent to Rajya Sabha this time from Gujarat?” has been always popular among Gujarati journalists covering political affairs in Gandhinagar. So whenever Rajya Sabha polls are approaching, we read number of speculative stories on chances of various leaders. Let’s have a quick look on who speculated what in today’s print editions!

Read:Elections for 4 Rajya Sabha seats of Gujarat on 7 February

Gujarat Samachar in its story says that BJP is likely to give one seat to national level candidate. It says Modi is happy with Bharatsinh Parmar who is in-charge of south Gujarat region for party and state general secretary. The story further says that Parshottam Rupala has no significant job to do in Rajnath Singh’s new team. On Natuji Thakor, it says he failed to do well during his term in Rajya Sabha. The story says Congress has many candidates for one seat of Rajya Sabha. The story also indicates that while three seats are going to BJP and one to Congress as per the figure of party MLAs and MPs, cross voting can bring different result.

Another Gujarati daily Divya Bhaskar(DB) in its story says that BJP and Congress both parties are looking for new faces for four Rajya Sabha seats. This story finds no chance of repeatation of any of four current MPs. DB story hints Amit Shah’s possibility on one seat.

Gujarati daily Sandesh’s story clearly states that Parshottam Rupala, one of the four MPs whose term will end in April this year will contest Lok Sabha seat from Amreli. The story further says that Bharatsinh Parmar will be placed to head some board-corporation in Gujarat while Natuji Thakor will be utilized in organization. The story claims strong probability over Shaktisinh Gohil’s candidature for one Rajya Sabha seat from Congress. The story also speculates Advani’s candidature on one seat. Advani presently is Lok Sabha MP from Gandhinagar seat. The story also speculates Amit Shah’s candidature. It says Modi went to Ghatlodia area to fly kite which falls under the limits of Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat. Therefore Advani will be sent to Rajya Sabha and Modi will contest from Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat. The story further says that Congress MP Alka Kshatriya’s seat is considered as north Gujarat’s representation and Kshatriya representation of Congress party in Rajya Sabha.

The Gujarati edition of Times of India claims that Congress leaders Arjun Modhwadia, Shaktisinh Gohil and Siddharth Patel are lobbying for one post of Rajya Sabha. The story says there’s a race between these three leaders. While Alka Kshatriya is considered close to Bharatsinh Solanki group, Modhwadia and Gohil belong to Ahmed Patel’s group. While the chances of Ahmed Patel group’s two candidates are brighter than others, former state party president Siddharth Patel is also attempting to go to Rajya Sabha through lobbying.