Former Congress President Sonia Gandhi were amongst the names released by political parties as the candidates for vacant Rajya Sabha berths.
Sources in Congress said Sonia Gandhi is set to file her nomination for the Rajya Sabha elections on Wednesday likely opting for the Rajasthan seat currently held by former PM Manmohan Singh.
The Congress is comfortably placed to win Rajya Sabha seats from Karnataka, Telangana, Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh.
“Sonia Gandhi is likely to be declared as the Rajya Sabha candidate from the party. She is likely to file nomination on Wednesday,” sources said.
Party president Mallikarjun Kharge has held several meetings with Sonia Gandhi in recent weeks as the Congress works to finalise its candidates for Rajya Sabha polls.
The Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Telangana PCC reportedly urged the party leadership to nominate Gandhi for the Rajya Sabha seat.
Candidates also include the re-nomination of actor turned politician Jaya Bachchan by Samajwadi Party followed by former IAS officer Alok Ranjan and Ramjilal Suman from Uttra Pradesh.
Further close aide of Bihar CM Nitish Kumar who also instrumental in recent realignment of BJP and JDU, Sanjay Kumar, will be the party’s candidate for Rajya Sabha polls from Bihar.
The BJP has named state women’s wing chief Dharmshila Gupta and state vice president Bhim Singh as its candidates from the state.
The remaining three seats are likely to be contested by ‘Mahagathbandhan’ which comprises the RJD, Congress and three Left parties.
While Congress is yet announce any candidates for any vacant States, BJP so far has named 16 candidates for the Rajya Sabha polls, including former Union minister R P N Singh and Sudhanshu Trivedi - the only outgoing MP renominated by the party so far. The party is yet to name many candidates including from Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.
Elections for 56 Rajya Sabha seats spread across 15 states are scheduled to be held on February 27, and the last date for filing nominations is February 15.
Debashish Samantray and Subhasish Kuntia on Tuesday filed their nomination papers as the ruling BJD candidate for the February 27 Rajya Sabha elections in Odisha.
The three seats will fall vacant in April when the terms of Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw (BJP) and BJD leaders Prasant Nanda and Amar Patnaik will end.
BJP on Monday named two candidates for the Rajya Sabha polls in Rajasthan, excluding outgoing MP and Union minister Bhupender Yadav, who is likely to fight the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The party has fielded former state minister Chunnilal Garasiya and former MLA Madan Rathore.
The BJP is likely to not name several of its ministers, whose term in Rajya Sabha is ending, as it may field them in the general elections, due in April-May.