BJP, on Monday, announced two candidates – Madan Rathore and Chunni Lal Garasiya for the Rajya Sabha elections from Rajasthan. The elections scheduled on February 27, 2024 for 56 seats including three from Rajasthan.
Going by the numbers in the assembly, BJP is due to win two seats and Congress one.
Madan Rathore is a veteran BJP leader, who was elected MLA twice from Sumerpur in 2003 and 2013. He had served as deputy chief whip during Vasundhara Raje's tenure from 2013-2018.
Madan Rathore has probably been rewarded for not contesting election from Sumerpur as rebel after being denied the ticket in last assembly election.
The other candidate Chunni Lal Garasiya is also an old hand. He had been MLA from Udaipur rural twice in 1990-1992 and then 1993-1998. He had been minister in Bhairon Singh Shekhawat. Garasiya has also been on various organisational posts. He had also been national vice president of BJP ST morcha. Currently, Garasiya is the vice president of state BJP.
BJP eyes OBC and ST votes by fielding Madan Rathore and Garasiya
BJP is eyeing ST and OBC votes by announcing these two candidates for Rajya Sabha. This may have immediate impact on the coming Lok Sabha elections.
Madan Rathore comes from Sumerpur of Pali district and is a major OBC face of Gorwar while Chunni Lal Garasiya is a tribal face and has a great influence on tribal population of Udaipur region.
Madan Rathore and Garasiya are likely to be replacement of Bhupendra Yadav and Kirodi Lal Meena. While Kirodi Lal Meena has already resigned from his Rajya Sabha seat after being elected in assembly elections, term of Yadav, another OBC face is going to end. Meena is serving as minister of agriculture and panchayatiraj in Rajasthan government.
“BJP is replacing OBC for an OBC and a tribal for the tribal,” said a senior BJP leader.
Vivek Shukla is a management graduate who has worked in corporate worked for 20 years and is now pursuing his passion — news.
