The strength of BJP members in house has shrunk to 99 in the recent assembly polls. Only two members of the party could be elected as per pro rata voting weightage
The BJP is likely to field only two candidates for the polls on four seats of the Rajya Sabha from Gujarat due in April. Currently, all four members are from BJP. The strength of BJP members in house has shrunk to 99 in the recent assembly polls. Only two members of the party could be elected as per pro rata voting weightage. The BJP, therefore, does not want to take any risk of fielding more candidates that they did in the last RS polls for three seats from Gujarat held in August 2017.
As per total strength of 182 members in house, each of the candidates for four seats requires to get 37 votes. The BJP does not have enough number of MLAs that can send more than two members to the Rajya Sabha by-elections.
In August, each of the candidates required 44 votes and the BJP had fielded three candidates for all seats including Amit Shah, Smriti Irani and Balwantsinh Rajput, while the Congress had fielded Ahmed Patel only.
Patel, however, won a close shave battle.
A senior BJP leader, on condition of anonymity, said: "The last RS polls resulted in an embarrassment for the party as Ahmed Patel could make to the Rajya Sabha. The Congress' morale was boosted after the incident which helped them in the assembly polls too. Our party has decided now that such situation should not be created again. Therefore, it is almost decided that party will field only two candidates in the RS polls to be held in April."
"It is most likely that Parsottam Rupala and Mansukh Mandaviya will be repeated as their terms end. Both are the ministers in the central government and belong to the Patel community," he added.
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