Ranchi, June 8: Businessman Parimal Nathwani has entered the race for the two Rajya Sabha seats from Jharkhand in the upcoming biennial elections. Although running as an independent candidate, he has garnered support from NDA legislators.
Before filing his nomination on Monday, Nathwani met with BJP and allied party legislators. In a conversation with the media afterward, he expressed confidence in his victory. Nathwani visited the residence of BJP MLA Naveen Jaiswal in the capital, Ranchi, where discussions on election strategies and support took place with NDA allies.
Speaking to reporters, Nathwani stated he did not wish to discuss numbers but was fully confident of winning. “I am an old Jharkhandi, and the people of Jharkhand have seen my work. I believe I will win the election and have the opportunity to serve the state’s interests once again,” he said.
Nathwani has previously served as a Rajya Sabha member from Jharkhand twice. He emphasized that during his previous terms, he had undertaken significant work for the state’s development. He expressed hope that legislators would consider his past contributions when deciding their support.
On this occasion, Babulal Marandi, the leader of the BJP legislative party and opposition leader, mentioned that the BJP decided to support Nathwani based on the current circumstances. He noted that the BJP lacked sufficient numbers to secure a Rajya Sabha seat, leading to the strategic decision to back Nathwani.
Marandi described Nathwani as a “tested” candidate, stating that Jharkhand has previously seen him as a Rajya Sabha member. Conversely, the ruling coalition has criticized the BJP regarding Nathwani’s candidacy.
JMM leader and state government minister Sudivya Kumar accused the BJP of attempting to engage in horse-trading through the Rajya Sabha elections. K. Raju, Congress’s Jharkhand in-charge, echoed similar sentiments, alleging that the BJP was trying to influence the democratic process. The last day for nominations for the two Rajya Sabha seats in Jharkhand is Monday. The Congress has nominated Pranav Jha, while the JMM has put forward Baijnath Ram as its candidate.
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