MP Rajya Sabha elections to be held on June 18 for three seats
The Election Commission on Friday announced June 18 as the polling date for the MP Rajya Sabha elections for three seats from Madhya Pradesh.
The terms of three Rajya Sabha members from the state will end on June 21. These include Congress leader Digvijaya Singh and BJP MPs George Kurian and Sumer Singh Solanki.
The Congress faces the task of selecting a new candidate after Digvijaya Singh reportedly declined to contest another term.
Former chief minister Kamal Nath, state Congress president Jitu Patwari, Arun Yadav, Kamleshwar Patel and Sajjan Singh Verma are among the names being discussed within the party.
The BJP, meanwhile, may renominate George Kurian to the Upper House. The party is also considering other tribal faces for the seat currently held by Sumer Singh Solanki.
“Both BJP and Congress have started internal consultations as the contest for three Rajya Sabha seats gathers momentum in Madhya Pradesh.”
Congress faces numbers challenge
The Congress may face difficulties in managing numbers during the election.
Datia MLA Rajendra Bharti has lost his Assembly membership, while Vijaypur MLA Mukesh Malhotra will not be eligible to vote in the Rajya Sabha election.
The position of Bina MLA Nirmala Sapre also remains uncertain amid speculation over her political alignment.
BJP weighs options on tribal representation
The BJP leadership is discussing possible tribal candidates for one of the seats, considering the significance of tribal representation in Madhya Pradesh, where tribal communities account for nearly 22% of the population.
Sumer Singh Solanki currently serves as BJP state general secretary and is considered close to the RSS.
George Kurian presently serves as Union minister of state for fisheries, animal husbandry, dairy and minority affairs in the Government of India.
Kurian entered the Rajya Sabha from Madhya Pradesh in August 2024 through a bypoll after Jyotiraditya Scindia vacated the seat following his election to the Lok Sabha.
