BJP state unit wants Joshi in Rajya Sabha

The depletion of the strength of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Parliament has meant that the number of MPs it could have sent to the Rajya Sabha has been reduced.

Of the 57 Rajya Sabha seats that are to be filled, the BJP's quota will only be 16. And as 90 of the party's sitting MPs have lost in the elections this time, the queue for a Rajya Sabha seat is longer than ever for the BJP.

The immediate problem for the party centres around the two Rajya Sabha seats from Uttar Pradesh that are to be filled. Three Rajya Sabha members from the BJP, nominated from the state are retiring this month.

This includes former Disinvestment Minister Arun Shourie, journalist Dinanath Mishra, and VHP's BP Singhal.

While the chances of these members are already reduced by half because of the BJP's depleted electoral strength from the state, the state unit of the BJP has complicated matters by sending the names of senior leader Murli Manohar Joshi and state president Vinay Katiyar.

According to senior leaders, both the names came as a surprise for the party as the duo have recently lost elections to the Lok Sabha.

The party is especially upset at Katiyar's name as the blame for the party's poor showing in Uttar Pradesh has been attributed to poor management by him.

Katiyar, in fact, is all set to lose his job as state unit president. Cases are being built up for the various nominees for the Rajya Sabha.

One faction of the party is arguing that with the disinvestment ministry being disbanded, Arun Shourie's presence may be required to defend certain deals made by his ministry in the past.

"When several financial deals of the ministry will be questioned by the new government, Shourie will be required in the House," said a senior party leader. Joshi's candidature is being pushed by the RSS and other sister organisations of the BJP.

In all this the fate of former Bulandshahr MP Chattrapal Singh hangs in balance. Singh had given up his seat to senior BJP leader Kalyan Singh on the promise that he would be compensated for with a Rajya Sabha nomination.

At the time, the BJP was expecting to get 40 Lok Sabha seats in UP, and thus more seats in the Rajya Sabha. Singh is expected to play spoiler for whoever manages a nod for the Rajya Sabha.