S Jaishankar files nomination for RS bypoll in Gujarat

Ahmedabad: External affairs minister S. Jaishankar and BJP leader Jugalji Thakor filed their nomination papers for the Rajya Sabha byelections in Gandhinagar on Tuesday. The seats were vacated by BJP president Amit Shah and Union minister Smriti Irani, who won the Lok Sabha elections from Gandhinagar and Amethi respectively.

Tuesday was the last day to file nominations. The Congress nominated former MLA Chandrika Chudasama and Gaurav Pandya.

Since the Election Commission has issued separate notifications to the seats, the election will be held separately. It is clear that the BJP will win both the seats given its strength.

The BJP has 99 MLAs and the Congress 71. If the byelections were held simultaneously, both the parties would have won one seat each with preferential votes.

Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court refused to entertain the Congress’ plea against the Election Commission’s decision to hold separate elections. The plea had been filed by Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Paresh Dhanani.

The apex court has granted permission to file an election petition in the high court after the conclusion of the bypolls.

Reacting to the apex court decision, Gujarat BJP president Jitu Waghani said: “The Congress always insults the decisions of constitutional bodies.”