Won't allow India to be defenceless against enemy: Parrikar after filing RS nomination from UP

Lucknow: Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Monday filed his nomination for Rajya Sabha elections from Uttar Pradesh, a day after being inducted into the Cabinet.

“I’m feeling proud after filing Rajya Sabha nomination from Lucknow,” said Parrikar at a press conference after filing his Rajya Sabha nomination. “I won’t allow the country to be defenceless against the enemy,” he added.

Saying that he needed to study his portfolio first, Parrikar said, “The issue of relations between India and her neighbours is a sensitive one. My job is to do whatever it takes to strengthen India.”

Accompanied by Union ministers Rajiv Pratap Rudy and Kalraj Mishra, MP Jagdambika Pal and other senior BJP leaders, Parrikar filed his nomination papers before Principal Secretary Pradeep Dubey at Vidhan Bhawan in Lucknow.

58-year-old Parrikar quit as Goa Chief Minister to join the Narendar Modi Cabinet and was entrusted with the Defence portfolio which was held by Arun Jaitley.

The biennial election for 10 Rajya Sabha seats from UP is slated for 20 November.

Rajya Sabha members whose term will be expiring on 25 November are Akhilesh Das, Avtar Singh Karimpuri, Brijlal Khabari, Brijesh Pathak, Raja Ram and Veer Singh (all BSP), Amar Singh and Ram Gopal Yadav (both SP), Kusum Rai (BJP) and Mohammad Adeeb (Congress).

The ruling Samajwadi Party can win six seats and the BSP two based on their strength in the UP Assembly. BJP and Congress can get one each with support of other parties.

Samajwadi Party has 231 members, while BJP has 41, BSP 80 and Congress 28 beside others in the 403-member House.

While SP has fielded Ram Gopal Yadav, state cabinet minister Azam Khan’s wife Tazeen Fatima, Neeraj Shekhar, who is son of former prime minister Chandrashekhar, Ravi Prakash Verma, Javed Ali Khan and Chandrapal Singh Yadav, Congress has nominated PL Punia. BSP has fielded Raja Ram and Veer Singh.

(With inputs from PTI)