Sanjay Singh's name for Rajya Sabha seat speculation: AAP leader

Keeping the suspense alive about the names of candidates for three Rajya Sabha seats from Delhi falling vacant next month, ruling Aam Aadmi Party leader Saurabh Bhardwaj dubbed reports about Sanjay Singh's name being finalised as a "speculation".

Party sources said that Sanjay Singh's name has been finalised for one of the seats and that the decision on other two names will be decided in next week.

Sources also said that Singh has been asked by party leadership to prepare documents for filing nomination but Bhardwaj didn't confirm this.

"These are just speculations which will go on till the time final names are announced. It is a difficult decision for the party. So, it's taking time," Bhardwaj said on Saturday.

He further said that discussions were happening around this issue. "There have been many discussions. It is nice that the issue is being discussed greatly before making the right decision.

"PAC (Political Affairs Committee) has not yet conducted a meeting to come down to the conclusion," he said.

Party leader Ashutosh is also emerging as the possible choice.

The process of filing nominations for three seats, which are at present with the Congress, started on Saturday but there have been no confirmation on these names by the party.

Party leader Kumar Vishwas was earlier seen to be contender for a seat but there are indications from the party that he will not be fielded. His supporters had raised slogans at the AAP office on Thursday demanding that he should be sent to the upper house of Parliament.

AAP has considered some well-known names as its candidates but they have reportedly not accepted the offer.

Former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan and former Chief Justice of India T.S. Thakur were among names apparently considered by AAP leadership. Other names that have been been doing the rounds are BJP leader and former Union Ministers Yashwant Sinha and Arun Shourie, Infosys Founder N. Narayana Murthy and Nobel Laureate Kailash Satyarthi.

The tenure of the current members - Janardan Dwivedi, Parvez Hashmi and Karan Singh of the Congress - will end on January 27.

--IANS

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