Madhav may bag RS berth
Former RSS leader joined BJP recently, was made general secretary in Amit Shah’s team
NEW DELHI: Former Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader Ram Madhav emerged as a probable from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for a Rajya Sabha nomination from Uttar Pradesh on Thursday.
Madhav had recently joined the BJP and was made general secretary of the party in president Amit Shah’s team.
Monday is the last day of filing nomination papers for the November 20 election for 10 Rajya Sabha seats of Uttar Pradesh.
Given its strength, the BJP will get one out of these 10 seats. “Ram Madhav is the likely candidate. His name is being discussed at the top in the party,” a BJP leader privy to the matter told HT.
Madhav’s name was also being speculated for a ministerial job, but party sources said he may have to settle with a nomination to the Upper House. He was not given charge of any state in the recent allocation of work done by Shah.
After its spectacular show in recently concluded Lok Sabha polls in Uttar Pradesh, the party is keen to repeat it in the 2017 assembly elections.
Rajya Sabha MP Om Mathur, a trusted lieutenant of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has been recently appointed incharge of party affairs in that state.
The lone BJP general secretary in the party’s parliamentary board – JP Nadda – too is a contender for the ministerial berth and in the event of his joining the council of minister; Madhav could replace him in the parliamentary board.
BJP’s constitution prescribes that one of the general secretaries of the party would also officiate as the secretary of the parliamentary board.