Express News Service
AHMEDABAD: Ending intense speculation over its candidates for two Rajya Sabha seats, the Gujarat BJP on Wednesday announced the candidatures of Babu Desai (Babu Maktupur) and Kesridevsinh Jhala. The party decision came a day ahead of the deadline for submitting Rajya Sabha papers.
Babu Desai is a former party MLA and OBC leader noted for his donation to the famous Dwarkadhis temple. Jhala is a member of the Vankaner royal Rajput dynasty from Saurashtra. The party has already announced External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s candidature for one of the three seats falling vacant in the state.
Kesridevsinh JhalaUntil two days ago, the state unit was undecided about the two nominations, triggering speculation in Gujarat politics. The polls are due on July 24. While S Jaishankar filed his candidature on July 10. Jaishankar’s term as a Gujarat MP ends on August 18. Along with Jaishankar’s, the terms of two BJP MPs – Dineshchandra Jemalbhai Anavadiya and Lokhandwala Jugalsinh Mathurji – will also end on the day.
On Wednesday, Kesridevsinh Jhala and Babubhai Desai, accompanied by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and state BJP chief CR Paatil, handed over their forms to the returning officer Rita Mehta at the state assembly secretariat.
Kesridevsinh Jhala is the son of Digvijaysinh Jhala, the late Congress politician and former Union environment minister. He is a member of the royal Rajput family of Vankaner in Saurashtra. In 2011, he was the official in charge of the BJP taluka panchayat and the zilla panchayat in Wankaner Taluka. He has been a member of the BJP for many years.
Desai is a former MLA from Kankrej (between 2007 to 2012) in the Banaskantha district of North Gujarat. He belongs to the ‘Maldhari’ (cattle rearing) community. He was a big donor to the Dwarkadhish temple.Elections for three Rajya Sabha seats, planned for July 24, will be mostly one-sided in Gujarat, as the Congress has decided not to field candidates, citing a lack of numbers.
According to a notification, nominations must be submitted by July 13, while nominations could be withdrawn by July 17. Depending on the circumstances, the voting will take place on July 24.Currently, the BJP has eight of Gujarat’s 11 Rajya Sabha seats, while the Congress holds the rest. The BJP won a record 156 seats in the Gujarat Assembly election in 2022.
AHMEDABAD: Ending intense speculation over its candidates for two Rajya Sabha seats, the Gujarat BJP on Wednesday announced the candidatures of Babu Desai (Babu Maktupur) and Kesridevsinh Jhala. The party decision came a day ahead of the deadline for submitting Rajya Sabha papers.
Babu Desai is a former party MLA and OBC leader noted for his donation to the famous Dwarkadhis temple. Jhala is a member of the Vankaner royal Rajput dynasty from Saurashtra. The party has already announced External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s candidature for one of the three seats falling vacant in the state.
Kesridevsinh JhalaUntil two days ago, the state unit was undecided about the two nominations, triggering speculation in Gujarat politics. The polls are due on July 24. While S Jaishankar filed his candidature on July 10. Jaishankar’s term as a Gujarat MP ends on August 18. Along with Jaishankar’s, the terms of two BJP MPs – Dineshchandra Jemalbhai Anavadiya and Lokhandwala Jugalsinh Mathurji – will also end on the day.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });
On Wednesday, Kesridevsinh Jhala and Babubhai Desai, accompanied by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and state BJP chief CR Paatil, handed over their forms to the returning officer Rita Mehta at the state assembly secretariat.
Kesridevsinh Jhala is the son of Digvijaysinh Jhala, the late Congress politician and former Union environment minister. He is a member of the royal Rajput family of Vankaner in Saurashtra. In 2011, he was the official in charge of the BJP taluka panchayat and the zilla panchayat in Wankaner Taluka. He has been a member of the BJP for many years.
Desai is a former MLA from Kankrej (between 2007 to 2012) in the Banaskantha district of North Gujarat. He belongs to the ‘Maldhari’ (cattle rearing) community. He was a big donor to the Dwarkadhish temple.
Elections for three Rajya Sabha seats, planned for July 24, will be mostly one-sided in Gujarat, as the Congress has decided not to field candidates, citing a lack of numbers.
According to a notification, nominations must be submitted by July 13, while nominations could be withdrawn by July 17. Depending on the circumstances, the voting will take place on July 24.
Currently, the BJP has eight of Gujarat’s 11 Rajya Sabha seats, while the Congress holds the rest. The BJP won a record 156 seats in the Gujarat Assembly election in 2022.
