New Delhi: The ruling Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday announced its candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha biennial elections, fielding four leaders from Gujarat for the Upper House polls scheduled later this month.

According to a press release issued by the BJP’s Central Election Committee, the party has nominated Rajubhai Shukla, Mukeshbhai Rathwa, Mansingh Parmar and Jitendra Meghjibhai Kanzariya as its candidates from Gujarat. The names were approved by the party’s central leadership as part of its list of candidates for the Rajya Sabha biennial elections in various states.

The elections have been necessitated by the retirement of sitting Rajya Sabha members Rambhai Mokariya, Narhari Amin, Shaktisinh Gohil and Ramilaben Bara, whose terms are set to expire on June 21.

Given the BJP’s overwhelming majority in the Gujarat Assembly, the ruling party is comfortably placed to win all four seats. The development is particularly significant for the Congress, which is set to lose its lone Rajya Sabha seat from the state, currently held by Shaktisinh Gohil.

With the BJP expected to secure all four seats, the Congress will, for the first time in Gujarat’s political history, have no representation in the Rajya Sabha.

The BJP also announced candidates for Rajya Sabha seats from Arunachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur and Rajasthan. In addition, the party named Debashish Samantaray as its candidate for the Rajya Sabha by-election from Odisha. DeshGujarat