BJP's 4 Gujarat Rajya Sabha nominees file nominations on final day
Synopsis
With 161 of 182 Gujarat Assembly seats, the BJP is set to sweep all four Rajya Sabha vacancies opening on 21 June — leaving Congress, with just 12 MLAs, poised to lose its only Upper House seat from the state when Shaktisinh Gohil's term ends.
Key Takeaways
BJP nominees Raju Shukla, Mansinh Parmar, Mukesh Rathwa , and Jitendra Kanjaria filed Rajya Sabha nominations on 8 June at the Gujarat Legislative Assembly.
The four seats fall vacant on 21 June upon expiry of terms of Ram Mokariya, Narhari Amin, Ramila Bara , and Congress leader Shaktisinh Gohil .
BJP holds 161 seats in the 182-member Gujarat Assembly ; each seat requires support of 37 MLAs .
Polling, if required, and vote counting are scheduled for 18 June ; withdrawal deadline is 11 June .
Congress , with only 12 MLAs , faces the loss of its sole Gujarat representation in the Rajya Sabha.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s four candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections from Gujarat filed their nomination papers at the Gujarat Legislative Assembly in Gandhinagar on Monday, 8 June, the last day for submission of nominations for the biennial elections to the Upper House of Parliament.
The Four Candidates
The nominees — Raju Shukla, Mansinh Parmar, Mukesh Rathwa, and Jitendra Kanjaria — submitted their papers in the presence of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, BJP state president Jagdish Vishwakarma, Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi, state organisation general secretary Ratnakarji, Legislative Assembly Deputy Speaker Purnesh Modi, state ministers, and senior party leaders.
Shukla, 62, from Mehsana district in North Gujarat, is a member of the BJP's state executive and the party's in-charge for Surendranagar district. He has previously served as president of Kadi municipality. Rathwa, 39, is a tribal leader from Chhota Udepur district in central Gujarat, currently serving as general secretary of the BJP's Chhota Udepur district unit and a former vice-president of the party's youth wing.
Parmar, 45, from Gir Somnath district in the Saurashtra region, is the state president of the BJP OBC Morcha. Kanjaria, 39, from Devbhumi Dwarka district, has held multiple organisational roles in Devbhumi Dwarka and Jamnagar districts and previously served on the executive committee of the district panchayat. He is regarded as an OBC leader from the region.
Why These Seats Are Vacant
The BJP announced all four nominees on 4 June for seats falling vacant on 21 June, following the end of terms of sitting members Ram Mokariya, Narhari Amin, Ramila Bara, and Congress leader Shaktisinh Gohil. The vacancies represent a full turnover of Gujarat's current Upper House contingent.
Election Commission Schedule
According to the Election Commission of India (ECI)'s schedule, scrutiny of nomination papers will be conducted on 9 June, with 11 June as the last date for withdrawal of candidature. Polling, if required, and counting of votes are scheduled for 18 June.
BJP's Commanding Position
With the BJP holding 161 seats in the 182-member Gujarat Assembly — well above the 37 MLAs required per seat — the ruling party is widely expected to win all four Rajya Sabha seats uncontested. No major opposition party has announced candidates as yet.
The Indian National Congress (INC) currently holds only 12 seats in the Assembly and faces the prospect of losing its sole Upper House representation from Gujarat when Gohil's term expires later this month. The day before filing their nominations, the four BJP candidates met party legislators in Gandhinagar to thank them for their support, with Rathwa noting that the group received guidance from Chief Minister Patel, Deputy CM Sanghavi, and Vishwakarma during the interaction.
Point of View
Unable to contest even when seats are technically open.
NationPress
9 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the BJP's four Rajya Sabha candidates from Gujarat in 2025?
The BJP's four nominees are Raju Shukla, Mansinh Parmar, Mukesh Rathwa, and Jitendra Kanjaria, announced on 4 June 2025. They filed their nomination papers at the Gujarat Legislative Assembly on 8 June, the final day for submissions.
When is the Gujarat Rajya Sabha election 2025 polling date?
Polling, if required, and counting of votes are scheduled for 18 June 2025, per the Election Commission of India's schedule. The last date for withdrawal of candidature is 11 June.
Why are four Gujarat Rajya Sabha seats vacant?
The seats fall vacant on 21 June 2025 following the completion of terms of sitting members Ram Mokariya, Narhari Amin, Ramila Bara, and Congress leader Shaktisinh Gohil. These are routine biennial vacancies in the Upper House.
Can Congress win any of the Gujarat Rajya Sabha seats?
Congress currently holds only 12 seats in the 182-member Gujarat Assembly and has not announced any candidates. Since each seat requires 37 MLAs, Congress does not have the numbers to win even one seat and is expected to lose its sole Gujarat representation in the Rajya Sabha.
How many MLAs does a candidate need to win a Rajya Sabha seat from Gujarat?
A candidate requires the support of 37 MLAs to secure a Rajya Sabha seat from Gujarat. With 161 Assembly seats, the BJP has more than enough votes to win all four seats comfortably.
