Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
Out of Parliament for the first time in 28 years, former PM Manmohan Singh could well return to the House of Elders from Rajasthan. A Rajya Sabha vacancy arose in Rajasthan after the recent demise of sitting BJP member Madan Lal Saini, who was state BJP chief.The Congress, ruling in Rajasthan, will have the claim on this seat as and when the vacancy is notified and the election declared.
Until the demise of Saini on June 24, the Congress was in talks with the MK Stalin-led DMK to bring Singh to the Upper House from Tamil Nadu. That discussion was later aborted with a seat falling vacant in Rajasthan.
The DMK, meanwhile, announced three candidates for six Rajya Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu due on July 18, closing the RS entry chapter for the Congress.
Based on TN Assembly numbers, the DMK will win three RS seats from the state and AIADMK another three.
The Congress has long been scouting for a seat for Singh. Its hopes to win one seat out of two that fell vacant in Gujarat were dashed when the EC announced separate elections for both the seats.
The EC has also announced elections for one seat in Bihar and three in Odisha.
The Congress does not have the numbers in any of these states to win an RS berth. The seat that fell vacant in Rajasthan after Saini’s death is the party’s only best hope, if Singh has to brought back to the Rajya Sabha, say sources.
