Ranchi: The Rajya Sabha election in Jharkhand has turned into a tense political contest after Parimal Nathwani filed his nomination as an Independent candidate with the support of the BJP, creating fresh pressure on the ruling JMM Congress alliance.
Polling for two Rajya Sabha seats from Jharkhand is scheduled for June 18. The ruling alliance has fielded JMM leader Baidyanath Ram and Congress candidate Pranav Jha. Both filed their nomination papers on Monday in the presence of Chief Minister Hemant Soren.
The contest became more complicated after Parimal Nathwani, who is currently a Rajya Sabha MP from Andhra Pradesh, entered the race as an Independent. Nathwani, Director of Corporate Affairs at Reliance Industries Limited, filed his nomination with the support of BJP legislators and expressed confidence about winning with support from the BJP and other political parties in Jharkhand.
The BJP’s decision to back Nathwani instead of officially fielding its own candidate has triggered strong political reactions. For the JMM Congress alliance, the move is being seen as an attempt to create uncertainty around the second seat. While the JMM candidate is considered comfortably placed, the Congress nominee Pranav Jha is likely to face the real challenge from the BJP backed Independent candidate.
Congress leaders have criticised the BJP’s strategy, saying the party’s support to an Independent candidate shows a lack of confidence in its own leadership in Jharkhand. The Congress has also questioned why the BJP did not field a candidate from within its organisation.
The JMM has also accused the BJP of trying to disturb the election through political pressure and possible horse trading. The BJP, however, has defended the move as a decision taken according to the situation.
Rajya Sabha elections are decided by the strength of parties in the state Assembly, but the entry of an additional candidate often makes the contest unpredictable. In such elections, even a few cross votes can change the final result.
For Jharkhand’s ruling alliance, the immediate task is to keep its numbers intact. For the BJP, supporting Nathwani appears to be a strategic move to test the unity of the alliance and keep the contest alive till polling day.
The result on June 18 will show whether the BJP backed gamble remains symbolic or turns into a serious challenge for the JMM Congress camp.