Sonia Gandhi's decision to opt for the Rajya Sabha instead of contesting the Lok Sabha elections is seen by the BJP as an admission of the Congress party's "looming defeat" in the upcoming polls. BJP leaders commented that the Gandhis have deserted their supposed strongholds, with Sonia Gandhi choosing the Rajya Sabha route instead of contesting from her family pocket borough Rae Bareli. The Congress is expected to win one of the three Rajya Sabha seats from Rajasthan, and Sonia Gandhi's nomination marks her first term in the Upper House after serving five terms as a Lok Sabha MP. BJP leaders also suggested that the Gandhi family's move reflects fear of facing the people in their constituencies and predicted a BJP sweep in the forthcoming general elections in Uttar Pradesh.
Sonia Gandhi, former Congress president, retires from electoral politics after 25 years in the Lok Sabha, citing health concerns and a desire to step away from intense electoral politics. Her decision to file nomination papers for the Rajya Sabha elections from Rajasthan raises questions about the future of the Congress party, especially as the party faces ongoing changes and challenges. Speculation arises about whether her daughter Priyanka might take her place in the Lok Sabha from Rae Bareli, but no concrete information has been provided yet. Despite stepping back from the front row of the Lok Sabha, Sonia Gandhi's influence within the party's parliamentary group remains strong as she is anticipated to continue leading as the chairperson of the Congress Parliamentary Party.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has claimed that Sonia Gandhi's nomination to the Rajya Sabha is an admission of defeat in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, citing Rahul Gandhi's loss in Amethi as a precursor to a potential defeat in Rae Bareli. BJP leaders criticized the move, stating that the Gandhis have deserted their strongholds and predicting a blank for Congress in Uttar Pradesh. Despite this, Sonia Gandhi is expected to comfortably win the elections and become the second leader from the Nehru-Gandhi family to join the Rajya Sabha.
Sudhanshu Trivedi and RPN Singh are among the BJP candidates nominated for the Rajya Sabha polls, while Sushil Modi and Saroj Pandey were left out. The list reflects a shift of several Rajya Sabha members to Lok Sabha polls or organizational roles, in line with PM Narendra Modi's recent remarks. The party has also introduced new faces and maintained a balance of caste equations in its candidate selection, with elections for 56 Rajya Sabha seats scheduled for Feb 27.
The BJP has named four OBC leaders among its seven candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha polls in Uttar Pradesh, dropping eight outgoing members of the Upper House of Parliament from the state. Former Congress leader RPN Singh, who joined the BJP ahead of the 2022 Uttar Pradesh assembly polls, is among the party's picks. The list also includes two upper castes and a member of the Jain community, with national spokesman Sudhanshu Trivedi being the only one of the nine Rajya Sabha MPs from Uttar Pradesh being renominated by the BJP.
The Bharatiya Janata Party has announced its list of 14 candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections, with RPN Singh and Sudhanshu Trivedi among those nominated from Uttar Pradesh. The list reflects a diverse representation of castes, and notably excludes the renomination of nine outgoing BJP MPs from the state. The party is yet to announce candidates from Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra, where several Union ministers are set to retire.
The BJP has announced 14 candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha polls, including R P N Singh, Sudhanshu Trivedi, and Mahendra Bhatt. Notably, none of the Union ministers whose terms are ending were named, indicating a likelihood of their contesting the Lok Sabha polls. The party is yet to name several candidates, and the fate of senior leader Sushil Kumar Modi remains uncertain. Elections for 56 Rajya Sabha seats across 15 states are scheduled for February 27, with nominations closing on February 15.
During the Parliament Budget Session, Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar reprimanded Congress MP Jairam Ramesh for his remarks against RLD chief Jayant Singh, stating that Ramesh did not deserve to be in the Upper House due to his "misconduct." This came after Dhankhar allowed Jayant Singh to speak on the Bharat Ratna honour to his grandfather, leading to protests from Congress MPs. The Chairman also allowed the Leader of the Opposition, Mallikarjun Kharge, to speak, but expressed unhappiness at the objections raised and accused Congress leaders of insulting Chaudhary Charan Singh and his legacy.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused the Congress of attempting to divide the country on north-south lines, emphasizing the need to view the nation as a whole rather than in parts. He highlighted the importance of cooperative federalism and criticized the Congress for its past treatment of regional aspirations. Modi also stressed the need for the entire nation to progress together, citing examples of international events being dispersed across states and the success of aspirational districts.
Shashi Tharoor criticized Union Minister Pralhad Joshi for addressing Congress leader DK Suresh's "separate country" remark in Rajya Sabha, deeming it "unparliamentary" as it wasn't made in the house and relied on unverified media reports, questioning the misuse of house time.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge criticized Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar for linking caste to a mimicry incident, stating that Dalits have always been denied opportunities in Parliament. Congress leader Sonia Gandhi accused the government of stifling democracy by suspending opposition MPs, while Kharge demanded an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for not addressing the House. Rahul Gandhi dismissed Dhankhar's claim of insult and criticized the media for not covering important issues. Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury called Dhankhar's caste link "terrible."
Trinamool Congress MP Derek O'Brien was suspended from the remainder of the winter session of Rajya Sabha after a fiery exchange with Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar. O'Brien's criticism of the government and alleged disorderly conduct led to an argument over time allocation, resulting in the adjournment of the house for the day.
Home Minister Amit Shah criticized former Prime Minister Nehru in the Rajya Sabha, stating that Pakistan got the opportunity to attack Kashmir because of Nehru's mistakes. Shah also highlighted the contributions of Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw and emphasized Nehru's admission of errors regarding Kashmir.
The film 'Animal' directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga has sparked controversy for glorifying toxic masculinity, leading to concerns raised by Congress MP Ranjeet Ranjan in the Rajya Sabha. Ranjan expressed worry about the film's portrayal of violence towards women and its potential influence on the youth, citing previous films like 'Kabir Singh' as examples. She also objected to the use of a Punjabi war anthem in the film, arguing that it could be misinterpreted and hurt religious sentiments.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has declined the invitation to attend the flag hoisting event in the new Parliament building on September 17, citing disappointment over receiving the invite late. Kharge, who is currently in Hyderabad for Congress Working Committee meetings scheduled for September 16 and 17, stated that it would not be feasible for him to attend the function. The flag hoisting ceremony will be conducted by Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar a day before the five-day Parliament session commences.
