Rajya Sabha Bypolls: BJP Nominates Union Ministers Ravneet Bittu And George Kurian

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) revealed its candidates for nine Rajya Sabha seats due for bypolls, showcasing strategic moves and notable party switches ahead of crucial state elections.

Updated: Tuesday, August 20, 2024, 19:41 [IST]

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has announced candidates for nine of the 12 Rajya Sabha seats up for bypolls on September 3.

Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu, who joined BJP from Congress before the Lok Sabha elections, will contest from Rajasthan.

Rajya Sabha Bypolls BJP Nominates Union Ministers Ravneet Bittu And George Kurian

Photo Credit: PTI

Despite losing to Congress leader Amarinder Singh Raja Warring in Ludhiana, Bittu currently serves as a Union Minister of State for Railways Food Processing Industries, as reported by Hindustan Times. George Kurian, another Union Minister of State, has been chosen to represent Madhya Pradesh.

Kurian's political journey began with the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), and he has been active in Kerala's BJP unit for four decades. The Rajya Sabha seat in Madhya Pradesh became vacant after Jyotiraditya Scindia won the Lok Sabha election from Guna.

BJP Candidates for Bihar and Haryana

In Bihar, senior advocate Manan Kumar Mishra has been selected as the BJP candidate for the Rajya Sabha bypoll. Meanwhile, Kiran Choudhary, who switched from Congress to BJP two months ago, will contest from Haryana. The bypoll in Haryana was necessitated after Deepender Singh Hooda of Congress was elected to the Lok Sabha from Rohtak, as reported by Hindustan Times.

From Maharashtra, Dhairyashil Patil is set to represent BJP in the upcoming bypolls. In Odisha, Mamata Mohanta has been named as the candidate. The BJP had a significant victory in both Lok Sabha and assembly elections in Odisha this June.

The party has also fielded Rajib Bhattacharjee from Tripura. These selections are part of BJP's strategy to strengthen its presence across various states ahead of crucial elections, as per media reports. This developing story will be updated as more information becomes available. Stay tuned for further updates on these political developments.