Three candidates set for unopposed RS election from Raj

Jaipur: The election to three Rajya Sabha seats from Rajasthan is set to be decided unopposed as only three candidates filed nominations by the close of the nomination process Monday.

The BJP has fielded former state party president and ex-MLA Satish Poonia and party member Alka Gurjar for the two Rajya Sabha seats falling to its quota. Both candidates filed their nomination papers Monday. The Congress, meanwhile, renominated its sitting Rajya Sabha MP Neeraj Dangi for a second term. Dangi filed his nomination on June 5.

With no additional candidates entering the fray, all three nominees are poised for an unopposed election, eliminating the need for polling scheduled for June 18. The outcome will now depend on the scrutiny of nomination papers, following which the candidates are expected to be formally declared elected on June 11.

The biennial elections are being held to fill vacancies arising from the retirement of Union minister Ravneet Singh Bittu, BJP MP Rajendra Singh Gehlot, and Congress MP Neeraj Dangi, whose terms end on June 21.

The BJP’s decision to field Poonia and Gurjar sparked considerable political interest, particularly as the party opted for a mix of organisational experience and social representation. The Congress, meanwhile, retained confidence in Dangi by renominating him for a second term.

Following the election, the party-wise strength in Rajasthan’s 10-member Rajya Sabha contingent will remain unchanged at five members each for the BJP and the Congress. The BJP will be represented by newly elected members Satish Poonia and Alka Gurjar, along with sitting members Ghanshyam Tiwari, Chunnilal Garasiya, and Madan Rathore. The Congress will continue to be represented by Sonia Gandhi, Randeep Singh Surjewala, Mukul Wasnik, Pramod Kumar and Neeraj Dangi, who has been elected for a fresh term. The next RS elections are scheduled in mid-2028 for three seats.