The BJP on Wednesday announced "prabharis" or in-charges for the Rajya Sabha elections in four specific States where the party has either furnished an "extra" candidate or is backing an Independent and where actual polling will be taking place on June 10. These States are Rajasthan, Haryana, Karnataka and Maharashtra.
Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar has been made in charge of Rajasthan, where the BJP is backing media baron Subhash Chandra who filed nomination papers as an Independent on Tuesday.
The State has four seats in the fray, and the Congress has announced three candidates, and the BJP announced one. For the third candidate of the Congress to be elected, they will require the support of Independent MLAs and members of other, smaller parties.
By supporting the Independent candidature of Mr. Chandra, the BJP is hoping to heap the embarassment of a loss on the Congress in a State where the latter is the ruling party.
Gajendra Shekhawat for Haryana
In Haryana, Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Shekhawat has been given charge to oversee the polls on behalf of the party as even in this State, the BJP is backing the candidature of another media owner, Kartikeya Sharma, who filed as an Independent with the backing of the BJP and the Janata Jananayak Party (an ally of the BJP).
This has created problems for Congress nominee Ajay Maken, who cannot afford to lose any party vote despite the prevailing factionalism in the State unit.
In Karnataka, Culture Minister G. Kishen Reddy has been put in charge, and the BJP has put an extra candidate for the fourth seat in the State, where the Congress and the Janata Dal (S) are also competing.
In Maharashtra, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has been put in charge and Dhananjay Mahadik has been declared the third candidate from the party, and is likely to create trouble for Congress nominee Imran Pratapgarhi.
