Jaipur, June 4 (IANS) The Congress on Thursday announced sitting Rajya Sabha MP Neeraj Dangi as its candidate for Rajasthan’s Rajya Sabha elections, giving him a second consecutive term.
With 67 MLAs in the Rajasthan Assembly, the party’s victory on one of the three seats is virtually assured.
Voting for the three Rajya Sabha seats from Rajasthan will be held on June 18, with counting scheduled on the same day.
The terms of Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu, BJP MP Rajendra Gehlot and Congress MP Neeraj Dangi are set to end on June 21.
Dangi unsuccessfully contested the Rajasthan Assembly elections from Reodar in 2003, 2008 and 2018 on a Congress ticket. Despite those defeats, the party elevated him to the Rajya Sabha in 2020 and has now renewed its confidence in him.
A longtime Congress functionary who began his political career through the Youth Congress, Dangi has held several organisational positions.
He also comes from a political family. His father, Dineshray Dangi, was a senior Congress leader, MLA and minister.
By re-nominating Dangi, the Congress has sought to reinforce its traditional Dalit support base while also maintaining internal political balance within the party.
The decision is being viewed as both a social and organisational message ahead of upcoming political challenges.
Dangi, over the last few years in Parliament, is believed to have developed close working ties with Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge. Party sources indicate that Kharge strongly backed Dangi’s candidature for a second term.
The Rajya Sabha election in Rajasthan is increasingly expected to be uncontested.
The BJP has already fielded two candidates, while the Congress has announced one. Given the current strength of both parties in the Assembly, the BJP is comfortably placed to win two seats and the Congress one.
If neither party fields additional candidates, the outcome could effectively be decided on June 11, the last date for withdrawal of nominations, eliminating the need for a contest on June 18.
–IANS
arc/pgh