Union Ministers Birender Singh and Suresh Prabhu were on Saturday nominated by the BJP for Rajya Sabha election from Haryana.
Earlier, Mannohar Parrikar, who was also inducted this month in the Modi Cabinet, was nominated as Rajya Sabha member by the BJP from Uttar Pradesh.The two Ministers, who were inducted in the Union Cabinet following its expansion on October 27, are not Members of Parliament requiring them to become one within six months of being a Minister.
With the BJP getting absolute majority in Haryana Assembly in recent elections, it is assured of getting both the seats unopposed, helping further raise the party’s strength in the Upper House where it does not enjoy a majority. BJP at present has only 43 seats in Rajya Sabha.Birender Singh was earlier a Rajya Sabha member of the Congress from Haryana but quit his seat to join the BJP ahead of Assembly elections in Haryana.
“The Central Election Committee has decided to nominate the names of Chaudhary Birender Singh and Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu for the byelection to the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) of Haryana,” Secretary of BJP’s Central Election Committee and national general secretary JP Nadda said.The byelection have been necessitated as the seats had fallen vacant after Birender Singh resigned from his seat on August 28 and Ranbir Singh Prajapati of Indian National lok Dal (INlD) quit on November 1.
The Election Commission has already notified the bye-election. As per the schedule, the last date for filing of nominations is November 25 and polling, if required, will be held on December 5 and the results declared on the same day.