Gujarat : Parshottam Rupala’s Rajya Sabha Term Ends Amidst Election Controversy

Gandhinagar : As Gujarat witnesses political turbulence with ongoing rebellions within the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the tenure of Parshottam Rupala, along with Dr.Mansukh Mandaviya—both Union Cabinet Ministers– Naran Rathwa, and Dr. Amee Yagnik, as Rajya Sabha Members of Parliament, concluded on April 2, 2024, marking the end of their six-year term in the upper house of parliament.

Of the departing members, Parshottam Rupala and Mansukh Mandaviya hold significant portfolios as Union Cabinet Ministers. However, they retain their ministerial positions despite their departure from the Rajya Sabha. According to regulations, individuals can serve as ministers without being elected members of the house for a six-month period. Both Rupala and Mandaviya are currently contesting Lok Sabha elections from the Rajkot and Porbandar seats in Gujarat. The new cabinet is expected to be formed after the general elections, which are scheduled to take place in two months.

Naran Rathwa, who recently joined the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) along with his son Sangram Rathwa, and Dr. Amee Yagnik, who has been actively engaged in organizational activities within the Congress party in Gujarat, also bid farewell to their Rajya Sabha positions.

The vacancies created by the departure of these four members were filled through elections held in February this year. BJP’s National President, J P Nadda, Surat-based Saurashtra-origin diamond baron Govindbhai Dholakia, lesser-known BJP leader from Central Gujarat Jasvantsinh Parmar, and North Gujarat-based BJP Gujarat Other Backward Class (OBC) Morcha Chief Mayank Nayak were elected unopposed to the upper house. All four newly elected members belong to the BJP and are set to formally assume their roles as Rajya Sabha members after taking the oath of office.

The conclusion of Parshottam Rupala’s term amidst the backdrop of ongoing elections and internal party tensions signifies a significant transition within the Gujarat BJP. Rupala’s decision to contest Lok Sabha elections adds another layer of complexity to the political landscape, as the party grapples with balancing leadership roles and electoral aspirations.