BJP’s announcement of 28 names for Rajya Sabha nominations is a saga of 3Rs — repeats, retirements, and risking it all for the Lok Sabha polls.
While just four of the 28 have been repeated, it is almost the end of the road for three BJP leaders, at least in terms of parliamentary politics. Meanwhile, several of them occupying cabinet portfolios are likely to be fielded in the Lok Sabha where they will be asked to prove their mettle.
Another Round
The select four who have been repeated are BJP president JP Nadda, two Union ministers — Ashwini Vaishnaw and L Murugan — and Sudhanshu Trivedi, an articulate voice who is also the saffron party’s national spokesperson. Vaishnaw is being nominated from Odisha, a state where it was speculated he would be fielded from but in Lok Sabha. Nadda is being nominated from Modi’s home turf Gujarat.
Nadda is the only outgoing Rajya Sabha member of the BJP who has served two terms and yet been repeated. This is seen to be nearly a sign of what’s coming in Lok Sabha lists where a large number of sitting MPs are expected not to be repeated.
To put things into context, Congress repeated lawyers Abhishek Manu Singhvi, GC Chandrashekar, and Syed Nasir Hussain. Maken lost the Rajya Sabha election last time from Haryana.
3 retirements?
It seems to be the end of the road, at least in terms of parliamentary politics, for three BJP leaders —media head Anil Baluni, former Union minister Prakash Javadekar who was among many who were asked to quit as minister to make way for others, and former Bihar deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi.
Baluni has battled with illness for a long spell while Javadekar is considered to have passed his political prime and now plays a role in organisational matters, particularly shaping the party in Kerala. Modi, meanwhile, has been replaced with a much younger and more aggressive Samrat Choudhury in Bihar. He too is likely to contribute to the organisation.
The 7 ‘Risk Takers’?
There are seven ministers — Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Mansukh Mandaviya, Parshottam Rupala, Narayan Rane, V Muraleedharan, Dharmendra Pradhan, and Bhupendra Yadav — whose term is nearing an end in the Rajya Sabha, but they have not been re-nominated by the BJP. With assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan setting the precedent, it is widely speculated that many — if not all of them — will be asked to take the plunge in Lok Sabha polls.
All the ministers are handling key portfolios right now. Chandrashekhar has skill development, IT, Jal Shakti among others, while Mandaviya is handling health. Rupala is responsible for animal husbandry and dairy among others while Rane is taking care of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME). Muraleedharan is the minister of state for external affairs & parliamentary affairs. Pradhan steers the education ministry while Yadav heads environment ministry.
Both Pradhan and Yadav play a decisive role in organisation matters and running BJP’s well-oiled election machinery. It is being discussed in hushed voices in BJP circles that the chances of Pradhan succeeding Nadda as party boss are high. Yadav was heading the Madhya Pradesh election team for the party.
Who made the cut?
BJP ensured a careful caste balance in selecting who makes the cut for the Upper House, giving representation to its farmers, Scheduled Castes, Other Backward Class (OBC), and importantly Sangh Parivar cadres.
Many low-profile state organisation leaders have made the cut. A special thrust is being given to women leaders. Dharmshila Gupta of Bihar, Medha Kulkarni of Maharashtra, and Maya Naroliya of Madhya Pradesh are all women leaders and have been associated with BJP’s Mahila Morcha and given their due.
In the age of political realism, Congress turncoat Ashok Chavan was also given a ticket.