BJP Rajya Sabha MPs May Contest Lok Sabha Elections: Report

With election fever gradually setting in, the Bharatiya Janata Party has reportedly asked its Rajya Sabha MPs, including 10 Union ministers, to prepare for the Lok Sabha polls due in 2024.

According to reports, Rajya Sabha MPs and senior ministers in the Narendra Modi cabinet have been asked to work on five Lok Sabha seat and select three constituencies they want to fight on the party ticket.

The selection of candidates for the 2024 Lok Sabha election was based on their performances and winnability factor.

According to the New Indian Express, the BJP High Command has asked Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Piyush Goyal, Bhupendra Yadav, Dharmendra Pradhan, Mansukh Mandaviya, Hardeep Puri, S Jaishankar, Purushottam Rupala, Ashwini Vaishnaw, Jyotiraditya Scindia and others to get ready for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

It is also speculated that diplomat-turned-politician S Jaishankar is likely to contest the Lok Sabha election from the New Delhi seat. Nirmala Sitharaman has expressed the desire to contest from Madurai.

Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan is likely to contest the 2024 elections from Odisha, either from Sambalpur or Dhenkanal seats.

Union Minister and a two-time Rajya Sabha MP Hardeep Puri is likely to contest from Amritsar or any other Sikh-dominated Lok Sabha seat.

Interestingly, BJP chief JP Nadda's name is also doing rounds, where he is expected to contest the Lok Sabha election from the Mandi.

Piyush Goyal, a key BJP election strategist is likely to contest either from Chandani Chowk or Pune Lok Sabha seat.

Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya has been reportedly asked to select an LS seat from Gujarat.

Among Rajya Sabha MPs, the names doing rounds include former deputy chief minister of Bihar Sushil Kumar Modi, and BJP OBC Morcha National President Dr K Laxman.

While Sushil Kumar Modi is likely to contest from Bhagalpur, Dr K Laxman is supposed to contest from the Chevella LS seat in Telangana.

AP Abdullakutty, ex-MP is expected to contest from Lakshadweep.

Former Congressman Jaiveer Shergill has been asked to contest from Anandpur Sahib Ludhiana and Sunil Jakhar from Gurdaspur.

BJP National spokesperson Sambit Patra will contest from Puri in Odisha and DK Aruna, co-in charge of BJP Karnataka from Mehabubnagar.

The names of prominent leaders like Baijayant Jay Panda, Raja Singh, Vanathi Srinivasan are also doing rounds.