Rajya Sabha Elections 2023: S Jaishankar, Two Other BJP Candidates Elected Unopposed From Gujarat

External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar and two other BJP candidates- Babubhai Desai and Kesaridev Singh Jhala, have been declared elected unopposed to Rajya Sabha from Gujarat.

Since there are no opposing candidates, on July 24, Gujarat's three seats and one seat from Goa and six seats in West Bengal will witness no polls.

As a result, the BJP will gain an additional seat in the Rajya Sabha, increasing their count to 93 members in the Upper House of Parliament. On the other hand, the Congress is expected to lose one seat, bringing their number down to 30 members in the Rajya Sabha.

Apart from Jaishankar, who secured a second term in the Upper House, it is anticipated that Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Derek O'Brien will also be elected unopposed. The Rajya Sabha elections are scheduled to take place on July 24.

It is noteworthy that the TMC emerged victorious in a bypoll for a Rajya Sabha seat in West Bengal, led by Mamata Banerjee.

Both the BJP and the Congress have commenced preparations for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, slated for the following year. On Tuesday, both parties will hold significant meetings in Delhi and Bengaluru to showcase their respective strengths.

On July 24, a total of seven seats in the 245-member Rajya Sabha will become vacant.

Today marked the last date for the withdrawal of nominations for the Rajya Sabha elections, as stated in a notification issued by the Election Commission of India.

The BJP aims to achieve a majority in the Upper House of Parliament. Currently, the NDA holds a total of 105 members, and the saffron party is seeking the support of two independent MPs as well as five nominated MPs. This would increase the BJP's membership to 112. However, an additional eight members would still be required to attain the majority mark.