In a strategic move ahead of the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has announced the candidature of prominent Union Ministers Nirmala Sitharaman and Dr S Jaishankar. While the party has confirmed their participation in the electoral fray, the specific constituencies they will contest from remain undisclosed.
Renowned for their eloquence and ministerial prowess within Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cabinet, Sitharaman and Jaishankar currently serve as distinguished members of the Upper House of Parliament, the Rajya Sabha.
As the incumbent Finance Minister and External Affairs Minister respectively, Sitharaman and Jaishankar have garnered acclaim for their contributions to governance, yet their political careers have hitherto been devoid of direct popular mandates.
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, entrusted with the Coal and Mines portfolio, disclosed the BJP’s intention to facilitate their electoral debut in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.
While speculation are high regarding their potential constituencies, Joshi refrained from confirming whether Sitharaman and Jaishankar would contest from Karnataka, stating, “It is appearing in the media. More or less it is final that they (Nirmala Sitharaman and Dr S Jaishankar) will contest the Lok Sabha elections. It has not been decided yet from where they will fight, whether it is in Karnataka or some other State.”
Addressing conjecture surrounding Bengaluru as a potential constituency, Joshi maintained, “How can I answer when nothing has been finalised?”
Presently representing Karnataka and Gujarat respectively in the Rajya Sabha, Sitharaman and Jaishankar bring a wealth of experience to the electoral arena.
Nirmala Sitharaman’s political journey commenced with her induction into the BJP in 2008, followed by her tenure as the party’s national spokesperson until 2014. Subsequently appointed as a junior minister upon Narendra Modi’s ascension to the premiership, Sitharaman assumed the role of a Rajya Sabha member from Andhra Pradesh in the same year. Notably, she served as the Defence Minister of Bharat from 2017 to 2019.
S Jaishankar, a distinguished career diplomat, held the prestigious post of Foreign Secretary in 2015 before his elevation to PM Modi’s cabinet in 2019. Concurrently nominated to the Rajya Sabha, Jaishankar’s adept defence of Bharat’s foreign policy on global platforms has garnered widespread acclaim, bolstering his popularity across social media platforms.
