BJP puts Union ministers in charge for Rajya Sabha polls in four states

New Delhi, Jun 1 (PTI): The BJP on Wednesday appointed Union ministers Narendra Singh Tomar and Gajendra Singh Shekhawat as its in-charge for Rajya Sabha polls in Rajasthan and Haryana respectively, two states which are headed for a keen contest with the entry of independents backed by the party and its allies.

The party also appointed Union ministers Ashwini Vaishnaw and G Kishan Reddy as in-charge for Rajya Sabha elections in Maharashtra and Karnataka, two other states headed for a contest with the number of candidates more than the seats at stake.

Polls will be held for four seats in Rajasthan, six in Maharashtra, four in Karnataka and two in Haryana on June 10.

Looking to gain from discontent within the ranks of the Congress in several states over the party’s choice of “outsider” candidates, the BJP has lent support to media baron Subhash Chandra in Rajasthan while its ally JJP has extended support to Kartikeya Sharma, son of influential politician Venod Sharma, in Haryana.

The BJP has fielded three candidates from Maharashtra while the ruling alliance of Shiv Sena, Congress and NCP has four, with the two rivals looking to outmanoeuvre each other in cornering additional votes required to make their third nominee win.

In Karnataka, all the three political parties in the state – BJP (3), Congress (2) and JD(S) (1) – have fielded candidates, forcing an election.

The BJP on Wednesday also named its in-charges for assembly bypolls to four seats in Tripura.

Its national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, Assam government minister Ashok Singhal and Jayanta Malla Baruah, political secretary to Assam chief minister, will spearhead the party’s campaign for the bypolls scheduled for June 23.