MP Rajya Sabha nomination race heats up:Kamal Nath ahead; several senior leaders remain under consideration

Nominations for three Rajya Sabha seats in MP will be filed till June 8. BJP holds two seats and Congress holds one seat. Deliberations have intensified in Delhi regarding candidates for the seat held by Congress. A meeting might be held at the Delhi Congress headquarters today after the swearing-in ceremony of the new CM of Karnataka, DK Shivakumar. The names of Rajya Sabha candidates are likely to be finalised in two days. Kamal Nath is leading the race Current Rajya Sabha MP Digvijaya Singh has refused to go to Rajya Sabha for the third time. Following his refusal, former CM Kamal Nath’s name is at the forefront among senior leaders. However, Sonia Gandhi’s role will be most crucial in Kamal Nath’s case. Congress sources say that even though Digvijaya may have denied it, the final decision in his case will be taken by Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge and Sonia Gandhi. This means if Sonia Kharge says so, Digvijaya can go to Rajya Sabha for the third time. Jeetu also busy making calculations Even though PCC Chief Jeetu Patwari has publicly distanced himself from the Rajya Sabha race, privately, he is making efforts to go to the Upper House of Parliament. Digvijaya Singh has already described Jeetu Patwari as close to Congress General Secretary (Organization) KC Venugopal. Jeetu also has the support of state in-charge Harish Chaudhary. Now brainstorming new faces in caste equations Considering the upcoming assembly elections, Congress is also brainstorming names of leaders for Rajya Sabha based on caste equations. Names of leaders from General, OBC, SC, and ST categories have been sought in this race. More than half a dozen leaders, including Arun Yadav, Kamleshwar Patel, and Sajjan Singh Verma, are in this race.