In a major decision which is likely to lead up to changes in the organisational and Government level, the BJP on Wednesday announced that party president Amit Shah will contest the August 8 Rajya Sabha poll from Gujarat.
The announcement came after BJP Parliamentary Board met here to take stock of the Bihar situation following Nitish Kumar’s resignation as the State Chief Minister. Union Minister JP Nadda said after the meeting, that besides Shah, Union Textile and I&B Minister Smriti Irani too will be contesting the Rajya Sabha poll from Gujarat. While Shah is an MlA from Gujarat, Irani is also an MP from the State and her term ends on August 18.
The BJP’s move came a day after Congress General Secretary and a close aide to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Ahmed Patel, was re-nominated as the party’s candidate for the upcoming Rajya Sabha election from Gujarat.
With Shah in the fray, the Rajya Sabha poll is set to turn interesting in Gujarat as the Congress is already wary of cross-voting by 11 of its MlAs in the State during the presidential polls, last week and the quitting of its influential leader Shankar Singh Vaghela, who could prove a spoiler in the party’s scheme of things. Shah and Irani are set to romp home easily and the BJP may queer the pitch for Patel with its additional votes.
The BJP’s decision to induct Shah to Rajya Sabha has also come close to the much-awaited Cabinet reshuffle and changes in the party organisation. The BJP chief had recently himself spoke of imminent “major changes” in the party which may coincide with the Cabinet reshuffle in the Modi-Government.
With Venkaiah Naidu being fielded as vice-presidential nominee, Manohar Parrikar moving to Goa as State Chief Minister and Anil Madhav Dave’s untimely passing away, the Union Cabinet may require “more experienced hands and talent”, sources said.