AAP enters Rajya Sabha with ‘unopposed’ three
NEW DELHI: Senior Aam Aadmi Party leader Sanjay Singh, chartered accountant, Narain Dass Gupta and businessman, Sushil Gupta were on Monday elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha.
The three received their Certificate of Election from returning officer Nidhi Srivastava, confirming their election to the Upper House of Parliament on Monday after an objection by the Congress to the nomination of Dass Gupta was rejected.
The three would be the first Rajya Sabha representatives of the Aam Aadmi Party, which is governing Delhi and is the opposition in Punjab.
The party, born out of an anticorruption movement, led by Anna Hazare, five years ago, has four Lok Sabha members from Punjab as well.
“This is the occasion to thank people of Delhi who elected out government three years ago, paving the way for three members to be sent to Rajya Sabha,” said party’s Delhi convenor Gopal Rai while announcing the election.
The terms of the incumbent members, Dr Karan Singh, Janardan Dwivedi and Parvez Hashmi — all from the Congress — expire on January 27. Monday was the last day of withdrawing nominations.
Since no one other than the three was in the fray, there would be no need for election which is scheduled to be held on January 16. The AAP has a brute majority of 66 in the 70-member Delhi Assembly.
Earlier in the day, the nomination of Narain Dass Gupta was accepted after the returning officer found Delhi Congress’ objection “not valid”.
Ajay Maken, Delhi Congress chief, had filed a complaint against Gupta during scrutiny of nominations on Saturday, alleging Gupta held an office of profit as an appointed chairman of the audit committee of the National Pension Trust and as a trustee of the National Pension Scheme (NPS). Nidhi Srivastava, (deputy commissioner, central), the Election Commission-appointed returning officer from Delhi, had then deferred the matter till Monday.
“The matter was disposed of. Narain Dass Gupta’s nomination has been accepted,” read the order passed by Srivastava on Monday.
During the hearing of the matter, the returning officer observed that Gupta was the chairman of the Trust as per an internal arrangement and not as an independent office-bearer and hence was not ineligible for contesting Rajya Sabha election. The order also said that as per Parliament (Prevention of Disqualification) Act, 1959, a Trustee does not come under office of profit category. Besides, the order said Gupta had provided proof of resigning from all the posts before filing his nomination on January 4.
The AAP dismissed the charge, saying the law doesn’t bar trustees from contesting.
“With nomination of ND Gupta cleared, Congress’s frivolous complaint was dismissed,” said AAP spokesperson Raghav Chadha.
The nominations for the Rajya Sabha had triggered infighting in the party with the supporters of Kumar Vishwas, one of the founding members of the party, alleging that he was ignored deliberately.