The Election Commission of India has declared biennial elections for four Rajya Sabha seats in Gujarat. The polling is scheduled for June 18, with nominations closing on June 8. Currently, these seats are held by BJP MPs Rambhai Mokariya, Narhari Amin, Ramila Bara, and Congress MP Shaktisinh Gohil.
With the BJP holding a significant majority in the 182-member state Assembly, it is anticipated that all four seats will be won by the ruling party. The Congress, with only 12 MLAs in contrast to BJP’s 162, faces a challenging path to retain its sole Rajya Sabha seat in Gujarat.
If the BJP secures all four seats, the Congress will lose its representation in the Rajya Sabha from Gujarat for the first time since the state’s formation in 1960. This could happen uncontested, given the BJP’s comfortable majority to elect candidates without cross-voting or support from smaller parties.
Narhari Amin and Shaktisinh Gohil, among the retiring members, hold significant political importance in Gujarat. Amin, a senior politician, was once the deputy chief minister in the late 1990s before switching from Congress to BJP. Gohil, a prominent Congress figure, has been a key leader in the state for three decades, serving in various capacities including Leader of Opposition in the Gujarat Assembly.
