Parrikar files RS nomination from UP

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar today filed his nomination for Rajya Sabha elections from Uttar Pradesh, a day after being inducted into the Cabinet.

Accompanied by Union ministers Rajiv Pratap Rudy and Kalraj Mishra, MP Jagdambika Pal and other senior BJP leaders, Parrikar filed his nomination papers before Principal Secretary Pradeep Dubey at Vidhan Bhawan here.

The biennial election for 10 Rajya Sabha seats from UP is slated for November 20.

Rajya Sabha members whose term will be expiring on November 25 are Akhilesh Das, Avtar Singh Karimpuri, Brijlal Khabari, Brijesh Pathak, Raja Ram and Veer Singh (all BSP), Amar Singh and Ram Gopal Yadav (both SP), Kusum Rai (BJP) and Mohammad Adeeb (Congress).

The ruling Samajwadi Party can win six seats and the BSP two based on their strength in the UP Assembly. BJP and Congress can get one each with support of other parties.

Samajwadi Party has 231 members, while BJP has 41, BSP 80 and Congress 28 beside others in the 403-member House.

While SP has fielded Ram Gopal Yadav, state cabinet minister Azam Khan's wife Tazeen Fatima, Neeraj Shekhar, who is son of former prime minister Chandrashekhar, Ravi Prakash Verma, Javed Ali Khan and Chandrapal Singh Yadav, Congress has nominated PL Punia.

BSP has fielded Raja Ram and Veer Singh.

58-year-old Parrikar quit as Goa Chief Minister to join the Narendar Modi Cabinet and was entrusted with the Defence portfolio which was held by Arun Jaitley.