Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi is expected to file her nomination papers for Rajya Sabha biennial polls to be held on three seats on February 27 today.
She will arrive at Jaipur International Airport in the forenoon, and move for filing her papers with her son Rahul Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, former state Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, PCC president Govind Singh Dotasara, Leader of Opposition in assembly Tikaram Ram Jully to Election Office in Rajasthan Legislative Assembly building , a PCC spokesman and functionary told The Statesman here.
Posting on his X, party’s General Secretary Bhanwar Jitendra Singh said, “We welcome Sonia Gandhi. People of Rajasthan welcome her. During the UPA I and UPA II governments, a lot of work was done…Sonia Gandhi has worked as Congress president for long…So, there is great joy among Congress people and the public in Rajasthan. Her arrival will strengthen us.”
It is worth mentioning that Alwar’s royal scion Bhanwar Jitendra was front-runner for RS seat from Rajasthan.
The BJP has already fielded its candidates — Madan Rathore, Chunnilal Garasia for this biennial polls.
Former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh (Congress) and BJP’s Union Minister Bhupender Yadav will retire from the Rajya Sabha on April 3. The third seat fell vacant following the resignation of BJP’s RS MP Kirori Lal Meena who contested the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly election and became the Agriculture Minister in the Bhajan government.
The last date of filing nomination papers is February 15.
Of the 200 members of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly, the ruling BJP has a strength of 115 MLAs, Congress 70, Bhartiya Tribal Party 3, BSP 2, RLD & RLP one each and Independents 8. Hence, the BJP will have victory in two seats, and the Congress one, if the election goes uncontested on February 27.