BJP Unveils 5 rajya sabha candidates, Ashwini Vaishnaw nominated from Odisha

• BJP announces 5 Rajya Sabha candidates for the upcoming elections
• Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw nominated from Odisha, with BJD extending support
• Total of 19 candidates announced across two lists, covering multiple states

In a significant move ahead of the Rajya Sabha elections slated for 27th February, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has disclosed its second list of candidates, comprising 5 nominees. Among them, Ashwini Vaishnaw, the Union Minister, has been nominated from Odisha, marking a strategic move by the party. The list also includes Maya Narolia and L Murugan from Madhya Pradesh, along with Bansilal Gurjar and Umesh Nath Maharaj, both also hailing from Madhya Pradesh. A notable aspect of this announcement is the backing extended by the ruling party in Odisha, Biju Janata Dal (BJD), towards Ashwini Vaishnav's candidature, underscoring a rare instance of political cooperation.

This development comes after the BJP's earlier revelation of candidates on Sunday, the 11th of February, for various states including Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and West Bengal. The first list encompassed diverse nominees, such as Sudhanshu Trivedi and RPN Singh from Uttar Pradesh, and Subhash Barala, former BJP Haryana President, from Haryana. With 14 candidates enlisted in the initial roster, the BJP's meticulous candidate selection process reflects the party's strategic approach towards securing representation in the upper house of the Parliament.