Congress leader Sonia Gandhi was elected unopposed to Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan on Tuesday, officials said. Bharatiya Janata Party’s Chunnilal Garasiya and Madan Rathore were also elected unopposed to the Upper House from the state, Assembly Secretary Mahaveer Prasad Sharma said. Tuesday was the last day for withdrawing nominations.
Mahaveer Prasad Sharma, the Assembly Secretary, confirmed that no other candidates contested, leading to their unopposed election.
This marks the 77-year-old Congress leader's debut term in the Upper House after serving five terms as a Lok Sabha MP since her initial election in 1999, following her assumption of the Congress presidency.
Sonia Gandhi will be the second member of the Gandhi family to join the Rajya Sabha, following the tenure of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi from August 1964 to February 1967.
The upcoming Rajya Sabha elections are slated for February 27, with 56 members from 15 states set to retire in April. The filing of nominations concluded on February 15.
Among those whose tenure is ending in April are Rajya Sabha members Manmohan Singh of the Congress and Bhupendra Yadav of the BJP. Additionally, the third seat became vacant after BJP MP Kirodi Lal Meena resigned in December upon being elected as an MLA. With 115 members, the BJP holds a majority, while the Congress has 70 in the 200-member assembly.
Rajasthan possesses 10 Rajya Sabha seats, with the Congress now holding six and the BJP four following the recent elections.
