Rajya Sabha: Union Ministers Ravneet Bittu and George Kurian Dropped; Exit from Modi Cabinet Certain

New Delhi. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has released a list of 11 candidates for the Rajya Sabha elections scheduled for June 18. With the release of this list, the biggest topic of discussion in political circles is the exclusion of two Union Ministers of State—Ravneet Singh Bittu and George Kurian. Since they did not secure a spot on the candidate list, it is now considered certain that both ministers will exit the Modi Council of Ministers.

The most surprising name in the BJP’s list of 11 candidates is that of Ravneet Singh Bittu. He is currently a Rajya Sabha MP representing the Rajasthan quota. Union Minister of State Ravneet Singh Bittu has not been given a second term. Bittu, a prominent Sikh face from Punjab, sees his tenure end on June 21. With his parliamentary membership set to expire, losing his ministerial post is now almost inevitable.

Meanwhile, the name of George Kurian—a Rajya Sabha MP from the Madhya Pradesh quota and a Union Minister of State—is also missing from the list. Kurian’s tenure also concludes on June 21. The decision not to renominate him to the Rajya Sabha has sparked speculation about an impending reshuffle in the Modi Cabinet.

Reward for Organizational Stalwarts: By dropping ministers this time, the party has placed a major bet on grassroots strategists who work tirelessly within the organization.

Tarun Chugh, the BJP National General Secretary and election in-charge for several states, has been named a candidate from the Madhya Pradesh quota. By giving him the ticket, the party has rewarded his organizational skills. Along with him, Rajneesh Agrawal—a state-level office bearer and a long-standing prominent face of the Madhya Pradesh BJP—is also being sent to Parliament.

Additionally, Dr. Satish Poonia, the former Rajasthan BJP state president and current in-charge of the Haryana BJP, has received a ticket from Rajasthan. Given Poonia’s strong grassroots presence and firm hold over the Jat community, this is being viewed as a significant decision.

Meanwhile, BJP Central Secretary Dr. Alka Gurjar has also been awarded a Rajya Sabha ticket under the Rajasthan quota; this move is expected to strengthen gender and regional balance.

Four ‘Surprise’ Names from Gujarat
The BJP has fielded four figures from its impregnable stronghold of Gujarat who have taken political pundits by surprise. The influence of the RSS and a strategy of OBC-Tribal social engineering are clearly evident behind these selections.

Rajubhai Shukla: A resident of Mehsana, Rajubhai Shukla is a long-time grassroots party worker and a prominent Brahmin face. Currently serving as the District In-charge for Surendranagar, he maintains deep ties with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). He has previously served as the Mehsana District General Secretary and the head of the Kadi Municipality.

Mansingh Parmar: A young leader, Mansingh Parmar hails from the Somnath district. He is the nephew of Govind Parmar—a former MLA and head of the OBC Morcha—and has himself led the organization as a former District President.

Jitendra Kanjariya: Hailing from Khambhalia in Devbhoomi Dwarka, Jitendra is the son of former MLA Meghji Kanjariya; he belongs to the OBC community and is a prominent grassroots leader in the region.

Mukeshbhai Rathwa: Chhota Udepur District General Secretary Mukesh Rathwa began his political journey with the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha. An RSS cadre member, Rathwa is considered to have a very strong hold over the tribal community in Gujarat.

Special Focus on the North-East
Amidst the ongoing sensitive social situation in Manipur, the BJP has awarded a Rajya Sabha ticket to A. Sharda Devi, the party’s state president for Manipur. Sending a woman and an organizational president to the Upper House is being seen as a significant message at the national level.

Meanwhile, Tai Tagak, a senior and highly experienced leader from Arunachal Pradesh, has been named the party’s Rajya Sabha candidate.

*A Gift for Debashish Samantaray in the Odisha By-election*
The BJP has fielded Debashish Samantaray as its candidate for the by-election to the lone Rajya Sabha seat from Odisha. Interestingly, Debashish Samantaray had left the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) to join the BJP. This by-election is being held for the seat that fell vacant due to his resignation, and the BJP has once again placed its trust in him.