Backed by BJP, media baron Subhash Chandra files RS papers from Rajasthan

Rajya Sabha MP Subhash Chandra on Tuesday filed his nomination from Rajasthan for the elections to the Upper House of Parliament as an Independent backed by the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Elections to four seats will take place on June 10 for which the Congress has fielded three candidates -- Mukul Wasnik, Pramod Tiwari and Randeep Singh Surjewala -- while the BJP has named former minister Ghanshyam Tiwari.

Tiwari also filed his nomination papers along with Chandra on Tuesday.

"Two nominations have been filed. Subhash Chandra has filed as an Independent and Ghanshyam Tiwari as a BJP candidate. The BJP is supporting Subhash Chandra," BJP chief spokesperson Ramlal Sharma told reporters outside the assembly building.

He claimed that both of them will win the elections.

"Ghanshyam Tiwari will win on the party symbol and Subhash Chandra will win as an Independent," he said.

BJP state president Satish Poonia said the party has appealed to Independent MLAs and legislators of other parties to vote for BJP-supported candidate Subhash Chandra.

He said the contest will be interesting and both the candidates will win.

"We have made personal and public appeals to Independents and MLAs of other parties to vote for the BJP supported candidate. There is internal fight and resentment within the Congress party which is affecting governance," he said.

"It is an opportunity for those who have concerns for farmers, youths and people of the state to teach a lesson to the Congress," he said.

Independent candidate Subhash Chandra expressed gratitude to the BJP for supporting him and said he would get more than the required votes.

Subhash Chandra is the RS MP from Haryana and his term will end August 1, 2022.

In the 200-member Rajasthan legislative assembly, the Congress has 108 MLAs, BJP 71, Independents 13, Rashtriya Loktantrik Party three, CPI-M and Bharatiya Tribal Party two each, and the Rashtriya Lok Dal 1.