BJP may send Jaishankar to Rajya Sabha from Gujarat

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is likely to be sent to the Rajya Sabha from Gujarat, Bharatiya Janata Party sources said on Monday.

Two Rajya Sabha MPs from Gujarat -- BJP president Amit Shah, now Home Minister, and Smriti Irani, who has got the women and child development ministry -- have won the Lok Sabha polls, thus creating two vacancies in the Upper House of Parliament from the state.

Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, also a Rajya Sabha member, has won the Lok Sabha poll from Patna Sahib, creating another vacancy for the RS from Bihar.

Lok Janshakti Party president and BJP ally Ram Vilas Paswan, who did not fight the Lok Sabha polls this time, has also been promised a Rajya Sabha berth by the BJP, sources said.

As per the norms, a Union minister has to become a Member of Parliament -- either Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha -- within six months after taking the oath of office.

Sources said the BJP wanted All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam to send Jaishankar, who retired last year as India's foreign secretary, to the RS, but they did not agree to give up the lone seat they are getting.