In a surprise pick, Bharatiya Janata Party has nominated former National Commission for Women (NCW) chief Rekha Sharma as party candidate for the lone Rajya Sabha seat in Haryana.
Sharma’s name came as surprise as several party leaders were lobbying for the Rajya Sabha nomination.
She remained as the chairperson of NCW from September 2017 to August 2024. She had also worked in the commission since 2015. She had submitted her resignation from the NCW in August this year.
The Rajya Sabha election necessitated following the resignation of Krishan Lal Panwar, who has been elected as MLA from Israna assembly constituency. With the victory of the BJP was sure as the party has 48 MLAs in 90 member shouse, several party leaders were making efforts for the nomination and already camping in Delhi to strengthen their claims.
Sharma’s candidature has come as a surprise to several party leaders in Haryana who were lobbying for the ticket.
The internal reports suggest that party’s state President Mohan Lal Badoli was himself lobbying for his nomination. BJP leader Kuldeep Bishnoi was also making efforts to persuade party leadership to get the nomination for his son and former Adampur MLA Bhavya Bishnoi. Since Bhavya, failed to win assembly election and Kuldeep, could not get BJP ticket in
Similarly, former Karnal MLA Sanjay Bhatia – a close aid of former Haryana Chief Minister and present Union Minister Manohar Lal, was also being considered among front runners.