Nomination of BJP-supported independent Parimal Nathwani validated for Rajya Sabha polls

Ranchi (Jharkhand) [India], June 10 : The electoral path for Parimal Nathwani, the independent candidate supported by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has been cleared following a formal verification process in the Jharkhand capital.
Returning Officer (RO) for the Rajya Sabha elections announced on Wednesday that after a thorough scrutiny of the documents, the nomination paper submitted by Nathwani has been found to be valid. The decision was formally recorded and accepted under Section 36 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
The scrutiny process involved a detailed examination of the affidavit, financial disclosures, and proposer signatures provided in the candidate's filing. Despite objections raised by opposition camps regarding the procedural aspects of his independent status and BJP backing, the Returning Officer concluded that the nomination satisfied all statutory requirements.
With this validation, Nathwani is now officially confirmed as a candidate in the fray, marking a pivotal development in the state's high-stakes Upper House contest.
Following the Election Commission's decision to dismiss objections raised by the Congress party, BJP leader Babulal Marandi criticised the opposition's stance.
He said, "These people do not accept defeat. Their defeat on June 18 is certain. They devised a way to shift the blame for that impending loss and turned the Returning Officer (RO) into an issue..."
Nathwani's candidacy is seen as a key strategic move for the BJP-led coalition in Jharkhand. His support base, which includes the BJP and key regional partners, is aimed at consolidating the required numbers to secure the seat in the upcoming polls.
The acceptance of his nomination signals a clear path forward for the alliance, which has been working to ensure the stability of its electoral strategy. As the official candidate list is finalised, political observers in Ranchi anticipate a competitive contest as parties finalise their vote management strategies ahead of the polling date.
Earlier, Congress leaders staged a protest outside the Jharkhand Assembly and demanded the cancellation of Rajya Sabha candidate Parimal Nathwani's nomination, alleging bias in the scrutiny of nomination papers.
The protest came amid a political row over the rejection of Congress candidate Meenakshi Natarajan's nomination for the Rajya Sabha election in Madhya Pradesh. Congress leaders claimed that while alleged discrepancies in Nathwani's nomination papers were given time for clarification, Natarajan's candidature was rejected without similar consideration.
Speaking to ANI, Jharkhand Minister Irfan Ansari alleged that democracy and common people were under threat under the BJP-led government. He claimed that Nathwani's nomination papers contained five major discrepancies and said the Election Commission should cancel his nomination.
"Today, democracy is in danger. Common people are in danger, and even political parties have come under threat during the BJP's rule. I am talking about Jharkhand, where Parimal Nathwani has five major queries in his nomination papers," Ansari said.
The Congress MP further alleged that the Election Commission was acting at the behest of the government and the BJP.
Questioning Nathwani's candidature, he asked whether the candidate represented Jharkhand and alleged that he had been brought in from outside the state.
Meanwhile, on Monday, BJP-supported independent candidate Parimal Nathwani filed his nomination papers for the Rajya Sabha polls in Jharkhand and said that he will seek votes based on the work he has done.
Nathwani's candidature has made the Rajya Sabha contest in the state interesting as there are now three candidates for two seats in the state.
The ruling JMM and Congress, which is an ally in the ruling coalition in the state, fielded a candidate each.
Nathwani, a former MP, said he has received support from the people. "Having spent 12 years here, Jharkhand is not new to me. I am hopeful that I will get an opportunity to serve as a Rajya Sabha MP. I will seek votes based on the work I have done; that work is visible to the public and speaks for itself. It would be wrong not to continue with it," he told reporters.
On June 1, the Election Commission issued a notification for biennial elections for the 24 Rajya Sabha seats.
The seats included four each in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat, three seats each in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, two seats in Jharkhand, and one seat each in Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Manipur and Meghalaya.
Notification was also issued for the Rajya Sabha bypoll for a seat each in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Odisha.
The BJP has fielded Tai Tagak from Arunachal Pradesh; Rajubhai Shukla, Mukeshbhai Rathwa, Mansingh Parmar and Jitendra Meghjibhai Kanzariya from Gujarat; Tarun Chugh and Rajneesh Agrawal from Madhya Pradesh; A Sharda Devi from Manipur; and Alka Gurjar and Satish Poonia from Rajasthan.