NDA weighs N K Singh, Thakur entry into Rajya Sabha
Former secretary in the prime minister’s office N K Singh and former Union health minister C P Thakur are the likely contenders for two NDA Rajya Sabha nominations from Bihar.
By TNN |
NEW DELHI: Former secretary in the prime minister���s office N K Singh and former Union health minister C P Thakur are the likely contenders for two NDA Rajya Sabha nominations from Bihar.
Author-journalist M J Akbar is also in the race for a third seat that has fallen vacant after the death of an RJD member. While Mr Singh, who now heads an investment body in Bihar, looks certain to get an entry into the Rajya Sabha after the April biennial elections on the JD(U) quota, Mr Thakur, who lost the 2004 Lok Sabha polls, might be brought in on a BJP ticket.
For the third seat, which has fallen vacant after the death of RJD leader Motiur Rehman, there are indications that the BJP-JD(U) could back Mr Akbar for the election. A formal decision is not likely before the last week of February.
About 60 members of the Upper House of Parliament will be retiring in April. Of the seats from Bihar, both the BJP and the JD(U) have claim to one seat each, while their numbers in the state assembly will now help the alliance bag a third seat which was with the RJD.
The NDA might also be able to wrest a fourth seat as BJP MP Jaynarayan Nishad campaigned for the RJD during the 2005 assembly elections. Sources said with Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee having disqualified three BSP MPs on January 27 for supporting the Samajawadi Party, the BJP is likely cite this as an example in its bid to get Mr Nishad disqualified.
Though the matter is pending with Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari, Mr Chatterjee���s action against the former BSP MPs will be used by the party to put pressure on Mr Ansari. In the event of the seat also becoming open for election in April, it might then go to former Union minister Shatrughan Sinha. Mr Sinha, who will be retiring in April and has served two terms in the Upper House from the state, is up against strong opposition from the BJP���s Bihar unit for being given a third term.
The BJP, which has a strength of 46 in the RS, is expecting to better its tally after the April elections. The party will be seeing its senior members such as former Gujarat chief minister Keshubhai Patel (who is suspended from the party), Mr Sinha (Bihar) and V P Goyal (Maharashtra) retire. Former BJP president Jana Krishnamurthy, who passed away last year, would have also retired along with these leaders.
Author-journalist M J Akbar is also in the race for a third seat that has fallen vacant after the death of an RJD member. While Mr Singh, who now heads an investment body in Bihar, looks certain to get an entry into the Rajya Sabha after the April biennial elections on the JD(U) quota, Mr Thakur, who lost the 2004 Lok Sabha polls, might be brought in on a BJP ticket.
For the third seat, which has fallen vacant after the death of RJD leader Motiur Rehman, there are indications that the BJP-JD(U) could back Mr Akbar for the election. A formal decision is not likely before the last week of February.
About 60 members of the Upper House of Parliament will be retiring in April. Of the seats from Bihar, both the BJP and the JD(U) have claim to one seat each, while their numbers in the state assembly will now help the alliance bag a third seat which was with the RJD.
The NDA might also be able to wrest a fourth seat as BJP MP Jaynarayan Nishad campaigned for the RJD during the 2005 assembly elections. Sources said with Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee having disqualified three BSP MPs on January 27 for supporting the Samajawadi Party, the BJP is likely cite this as an example in its bid to get Mr Nishad disqualified.
Though the matter is pending with Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari, Mr Chatterjee���s action against the former BSP MPs will be used by the party to put pressure on Mr Ansari. In the event of the seat also becoming open for election in April, it might then go to former Union minister Shatrughan Sinha. Mr Sinha, who will be retiring in April and has served two terms in the Upper House from the state, is up against strong opposition from the BJP���s Bihar unit for being given a third term.
ADVERTISEMENT
The BJP, which has a strength of 46 in the RS, is expecting to better its tally after the April elections. The party will be seeing its senior members such as former Gujarat chief minister Keshubhai Patel (who is suspended from the party), Mr Sinha (Bihar) and V P Goyal (Maharashtra) retire. Former BJP president Jana Krishnamurthy, who passed away last year, would have also retired along with these leaders.
Download
The Economic Times Business News App for the Latest News in Business, Sensex, Stock Market Updates & More.
The Economic Times Business News App for the Latest News in Business, Sensex, Stock Market Updates & More.
Download
The Economic Times News App for Quarterly Results, Latest News in ITR, Business, Share Market, Live Sensex News & More.
The Economic Times News App for Quarterly Results, Latest News in ITR, Business, Share Market, Live Sensex News & More.
ADVERTISEMENT
