The ruling BJP here on Tuesday threw a surprise by deciding in the last minute to contest all three Rajya Sabha seats that are going to polls in Madhya Pradesh on June 11.
The ruling BJP here on Tuesday threw a surprise by deciding in the last minute to contest all three Rajya Sabha seats that are going to polls in Madhya Pradesh on June 11.
The biennial elections to the three RS seats in MP were necessitated following expiry of terms of three sitting RS MPs, Anil Dave and Chandan Mitra (both BJP) and Vijay Laxmi Sadho (Congress).
The BJP’s strength in the state Assembly will ensure the party to retain its two seats in the Upper House.
The party was, however, short of nine MLAs to send its third candidate.
Similarly, the Congress, which fielded noted lawyer of Chhattisgarh Vivek Tankha as its candidate to grab the third RS seat falling vacant in the state, was short of only one MLA to see its nominee through in the polls.
The BJP has nominated sitting RS MP Mr Dave and a senior journalist as its first and second candidates.
But, the party took everyone by surprise when it announced in the dying hours of filing of nominations to field state BJP general secretary Vinod Gotiya as an Independent candidate to contest the third seat.
