The BJP on Friday nominated journalists Chandan Mitra and Tarun Vijay as its candidates in the Rajya Sabha biennial elections but suspense remained over the fate of yesteryears actress Hema Malini.
While Mr Mitra was nominated from Madhya Pradesh for a second term, Mr Vijay, one of the new spokespersons of the party, was named from Uttarakhand.
The names of sitting member Najma Heptullah and Ms Hema Malini also came up for discussion at a meeting of the BJP Parliamentary Board but they did not make it to the list as yet. Ms Heptullah’s term ends next month.
News agencies cited party sources as saying they could be accommodated in the next list as they were yet to decide on three seats — one each in Karnataka, Rajasthan and Orissa.
The party named Anil Madhav Dave from Madhya Pradesh and V.P. Singh from Rajasthan. Mr Dave was elected to the Rajya Sabha in a bypoll last year and the party decided to send him again to the Upper House. Mr Singh has represented Bhilwara in the Lok Sabha.
The BJP had plans to nominate former Uttarakhand chief minister B.C. Khanduri for the Rajya Sabha polls. But since the party enjoys a thin majority in the state Assembly, it was decided against sending a sitting MLA to Parliament, sources said.
The Parliamentary Board has also authorised party chief Nitin Gadkari to decide on the candidates and hold alliance talks with other political parties.
It is learnt that the name of eminent lawyer and former Union minister Ram Jethmalani also came up for discussion. But his entry into the BJP and candidature are said to have been opposed by some sections.