National spokesperson of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Anil Baluni filed his nomination papers for the Rajya Sabha seat from Uttarakhand on Monday.
Flanked by the Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat, State BJP president Ajay Bhatt, Union Minister of State for Textiles Ajay Tamta and Cabinet Ministers of Rawat Government, Baluni filed four sets of nomination papers to the returning officer (RO) M S Kunjwal at Vidan Sabha on the day.
The election of Baluni is mere formality as he is the only candidate to file his papers. The Opposition Congress party with just 11 members in the 60- member State Assembly had already declared that it would not field its candidate for the elections, given its numerical weakness.
Talking to the mediapersons shortly after filing his nomination papers, a beaming Baluni said that Uttarakhand which is now enjoying a special place in the developmental roadmap of the Centre and also BJP would see huge changes in the days to come. He thanked the central leadership of BJP for reposing confidence in him and said that he would never be found wanting as far as commitment to the development of the State is concerned.
“Once elected, I would vigorously raise the issues pertaining to the state in the Upper House of the Parliament,” he said. Congratulating Baluni on his imminent entry into the RS, CM Tivendra Singh Rawat said that they were happy that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the party President Amit Shah have sent him to represent the State in the Upper House. The state BJP president Ajay Bhatt said that the party leaders and activists are exulted over Baluni being nominated for the RS seat.
“I am sure Baluni would prove to be a strong advocate of the state in Delhi. Besides, a younger leader being favoured with the nomination would augur well for the State unit of the party,” Bhatt said.