The nomination process for the Rajya Sabha elections in Rajasthan got underway on Monday, 2 June, but neither the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) nor the Indian National Congress has announced its candidates for the three seats falling vacant from the state. No nomination papers were filed on the opening day.

Key Dates and Election Schedule

Candidates may submit their nomination papers until 8 June, with scrutiny scheduled for 9 June. The last date for withdrawal of candidatures is 11 June, and polling is set for 18 June. Assembly Principal Secretary Bharat Bhushan Sharma has been appointed Returning Officer for the elections. Nominations can be filed in Room No. 106 of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly between 11 am and 3 pm by the candidate or one of the proposers.

Seats at Stake and Outgoing Members

The elections have been necessitated by the expiry of terms of three sitting Rajya Sabha members from Rajasthan on 20 June — Rajendra Gehlot and Ravneet Singh Bittu of the BJP, and Neeraj Dangi of the Congress. The Rajasthan contest is part of a broader round of Rajya Sabha elections across ten states for 24 seats, making candidate selection a strategically significant exercise for national party leaderships.

BJP Intensifies Internal Consultations

Following a meeting of national office-bearers in New Delhi on Monday, BJP National General Secretary (Organisation) B.L. Santhosh held discussions with state presidents from states heading to Rajya Sabha polls. According to party sources, the party's core committee is actively engaged in deliberations over potential nominees. Given its strength in the 200-member Rajasthan Assembly, the BJP is comfortably placed to secure two of the three seats.

Congress Awaits High Command Signal

Unlike the BJP, there has been little visible activity within the Rajasthan Congress on candidate selection. Party leaders have indicated that the final decision will rest with the Congress high command in New Delhi. Discussions over possible names have, however, begun within party circles, with demands emerging from various sections for representation of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and minority communities. Senior leaders are also reportedly lobbying for consideration as the party prepares to field its candidate for the one seat it is expected to win based on its Assembly numbers. The party's 10-day training camp for district presidents in Pushkar has just concluded, and the focus is now expected to shift to the Rajya Sabha contest.

What the Numbers Say

The arithmetic in the Rajasthan Assembly firmly favours the ruling BJP, which is projected to win two seats with its current legislative strength, while the Congress is likely to secure one. The central political question, as observers in Jaipur note, is not the outcome but rather who each party chooses to elevate to the Upper House. With the nomination deadline fast approaching, political circles in the state capital remain rife with speculation.