AAP nominates DCW chief Swati Maliwal for Rajya Sabha
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has announced its candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections in Delhi, set to take place on January 19. While Sanjay Singh and Narain Dass Gupta have been renominated for a second term, Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chairperson Swati Maliwal has also been chosen. The decision was made during the party's Political Affairs Committee (PAC) meeting led by AAP supremo and National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Friday.
Why does this story matter?
At least 69 Rajya Sabha seats would fall vacant in 2024, including 56 in April, just ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. The Election Commission of India (ECI) has already announced elections for four Rajya Sabha seats, three from Delhi and one from Sikkim. To note, the six-year term of Singh, Narain, and Sushil Gupta (all AAP) is ending on January 27, while Hishey Lachungpa (Sikkim Democratic Front) is completing his tenure on February 23.
Maliwal's activism, Singh's renomination amid jail
Maliwal is an activist who was elected DCW chairperson in 2015. She resigned from her DCW post after AAP nominated her. On the other hand, Singh, who is currently jailed in connection with the Delhi liquor policy scam, was allowed by a Delhi court to run for the Rajya Sabha polls. The AAP has alleged that he was arrested in a "fake" case as he was a vocal critic of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the Upper House.
Sushil wishes to return to Haryana electoral politics
Maliwal will replace Sushil. He has reportedly expressed his desire to shift his attention to Haryana's electoral politics. He has conveyed his aspiration to the party leadership, which said it respects his decision to pursue this path, sources told The Indian Express. The ECI fixed January 9 as the final date for submitting Rajya Sabha nominations, with January 10 designated for nomination scrutiny.
Upper House of Parliament has 239 members
The Upper House of Parliament has 239 members. The BJP has 94 seats, followed by the Congress (30) and the Trinamool Congress (13). While the BJP is expected to keep 30 seats that will become vacant in April, the Congress will keep its seats and gain two more from Telangana, which it wrested from the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) in the assembly elections. As many as 57 leaders, including Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, will complete their tenures in April.
