Jaipur, June 11 (IANS) The Rajya Sabha election process in Rajasthan concluded smoothly on Thursday, with all three candidates in the fray being declared elected unopposed. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) nominees Alka Gurjar and Satish Poonia, along with Congress candidate Neeraj Dangi, were formally declared elected by the Returning Officer at the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly.

Returning Officer for the Rajya Sabha election Bharat Bhushan Sharma announced the results after the deadline for withdrawal of nominations expired and no additional candidates remained in the contest. As the number of candidates matched the number of seats available, no voting was required.

Following the official declaration, Sharma presented certificates of election to the three successful candidates. The outcome reflects the current political arithmetic in the Rajasthan Assembly, where the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) enjoys a comfortable majority.

The BJP secured two of the three Rajya Sabha seats, while the Congress retained one seat through the election of senior party leader Neeraj Dangi.

The election of Satish Poonia, a former Rajasthan BJP president and prominent OBC leader, is being seen as a significant move by the party as it looks to strengthen its representation in the Upper House. Alka Gurjar’s elevation to the Rajya Sabha is also being viewed as part of the BJP’s strategy to enhance women’s representation and broaden its social outreach.

For the Congress, the re-election of Neeraj Dangi ensures the party maintains its voice from Rajasthan in Parliament’s Upper House.

Dangi has been one of the Congress’ prominent representatives in the Rajya Sabha and remains a key figure in the party’s state leadership. With the completion of the election process, Rajasthan’s representation in the Rajya Sabha will now include the newly elected members, who are expected to take oath and assume their responsibilities in the coming weeks.

The unopposed election of all three candidates also highlighted the absence of a direct contest, making the process a straightforward affair at the Assembly. Leaders from both the BJP and Congress congratulated the newly elected members and expressed confidence that they would effectively raise Rajasthan’s concerns and aspirations in Parliament.

Meanwhile, Rajya Sabha MP Satish Poonia, speaking to the media, said, “I accept this responsibility with full commitment and resolve.”

He further said, “As a member of the Upper House, I will strongly and logically raise issues related to public welfare in Parliament.”

–IANS

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