NEW DELHI: Congress leader Sonia Gandhi filed her nomination for Rajya Sabha polls from Rajasthan on Wednesday, sounding disengagement from direct elections and the start of a new innings in her parliamentary journey over five terms in Lok Sabha, as Congress came together to remember her contributions and laud her as a party icon.
Sonia reached Rajasthan assembly accompanied by Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and flanked by former CM Ashok Gehlot, AICC general secretaries KC Venugopal and Sachin Pilot, state president Govind Dotasara and legislature party leader Tikaram Jully. Before filing her nomination in four sets, she met MLAs in the opposition lobby.
Diggy’s aide, not Kamal Nath, nominated to Rajya Sabha from MP
Among other candidates for the Upper House, AICC treasurer and former Union minister Ajay Maken is set to be elected from Karnataka. He lost the RS poll narrowly from Haryana in 2022 owing to cross voting by a Congress MLA. The party has renominated Syed Nasir Hussain and GC Chandrashekhar from Karnataka. Interestingly, Abhishek Singhvi will now represent Himachal in the Upper House. While he won the last time from West Bengal with the support of TMC, Congress’ relations have now soured with the Bengal outfit, and his shift indicates the changed equations.
Contrary to reports, former RBI governor Raghuram Rajan did not figure in the list of 10 candidates. Rajan recently met party leaders on their request for inputs for the manifesto, which triggered the speculations. Social media on Wednesday was abuzz that he turned down the offer.
In a surprise pick, Ashok Singh, close to Digvijaya Singh, has been nominated from MP despite the lobbying by former CM Kamal Nath for himself for the lone seat the party can win from the state. There have been speculations that Nath may quit the party. While Congress has denied such a possibility, it is to be seen how Nath reacts in the coming days. His son and MP Nakul Nath is likely to be LS nominee again from Chhindwara.
Sonia’s shift to RS has put the spotlight on her possible replacement in her Lok Sabha constituency of Rae Bareli. Political circles have been abuzz with speculation about Priyanka stepping in to keep the seat which was represented by Indira Gandhi.
The other nominees include Akhilesh Prasad Singh from Bihar, who has been re-nominated and Chandrakant Handore from Maharashtra. While former Union minister Renuka Chowdhury will represent Telangana in RS, Anil Kumar Yadav is the other nominee from Telangana.
Sonia reached Rajasthan assembly accompanied by Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and flanked by former CM Ashok Gehlot, AICC general secretaries KC Venugopal and Sachin Pilot, state president Govind Dotasara and legislature party leader Tikaram Jully. Before filing her nomination in four sets, she met MLAs in the opposition lobby.
Diggy’s aide, not Kamal Nath, nominated to Rajya Sabha from MP
Among other candidates for the Upper House, AICC treasurer and former Union minister Ajay Maken is set to be elected from Karnataka. He lost the RS poll narrowly from Haryana in 2022 owing to cross voting by a Congress MLA. The party has renominated Syed Nasir Hussain and GC Chandrashekhar from Karnataka. Interestingly, Abhishek Singhvi will now represent Himachal in the Upper House. While he won the last time from West Bengal with the support of TMC, Congress’ relations have now soured with the Bengal outfit, and his shift indicates the changed equations.
Contrary to reports, former RBI governor Raghuram Rajan did not figure in the list of 10 candidates. Rajan recently met party leaders on their request for inputs for the manifesto, which triggered the speculations. Social media on Wednesday was abuzz that he turned down the offer.
In a surprise pick, Ashok Singh, close to Digvijaya Singh, has been nominated from MP despite the lobbying by former CM Kamal Nath for himself for the lone seat the party can win from the state. There have been speculations that Nath may quit the party. While Congress has denied such a possibility, it is to be seen how Nath reacts in the coming days. His son and MP Nakul Nath is likely to be LS nominee again from Chhindwara.
Sonia’s shift to RS has put the spotlight on her possible replacement in her Lok Sabha constituency of Rae Bareli. Political circles have been abuzz with speculation about Priyanka stepping in to keep the seat which was represented by Indira Gandhi.
The other nominees include Akhilesh Prasad Singh from Bihar, who has been re-nominated and Chandrakant Handore from Maharashtra. While former Union minister Renuka Chowdhury will represent Telangana in RS, Anil Kumar Yadav is the other nominee from Telangana.