BJP nominates Sudhanshu Trivedi, Satish Dubey for Rajya Sabha bypolls

The BJP on Thursday named its national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi and former Lok Sabha MP Satish Chandra Dubey as the party's Rajya Sabha candidates from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar respectively. The deaths of BJP stalwart Arun Jaitley and noted lawyer Ram Jethmalani, who was a RJD MP to the Rajya Sabha from Bihar, necessitated the bypolls.

Arun Jaitley, who died in August this year, was elected in 2018 and his tenure was till 2024. The articulate Trivedi, who is equally conversant with Hindi as well as English, will be making his debut in Parliament after being associated with the BJP for a long period. His win is all but certain due to the huge majority the BJP enjoys in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly. 

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Dubey was elected to Lok Sabha on the BJP's ticket from Valmiki Nagar in 2014. He had turned a rebel before being placated by his party after his seat went to the JD(U) quota. His win is also virtually guaranteed as the NDA, which includes the BJP and the JD(U) besides the LJP, has a big majority in the state assembly.

Arun Jaitely passes away

Former Finance Minister Arun Jaitley passed away on August 24, 2019, at the AIIMS in New Delhi. Arun Jaitley's unfortunate demise marked the end of an extraordinary career that witnessed him holding incredibly important positions at various levels, both in the government and outside. Recently, his wife Sangeeta Jaitley wrote to Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu declining the pension that was due to the family. She requested the due pension to be offered to Class IV Rajya Sabha staff. 

READ | Arun Jaitley's family offers pension to Rajya Sabha Class IV staff

Ram Jethmalani passes away

Former Union Minister and a senior advocate Ram Jethmalani passed away on September 8 at the age of 95. Ram Jethmalani was a part of BJP and was elected as a member of parliament in 6th and 7th Lok Sabha. He had served as Union Minister of Law and urban development under the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led NDA government. Paying tribute to the eminent personality, PM Modi stated that 'India has lost an exceptional lawyer and iconic public figure who made rich contributions both in the Court and Parliament'.

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(With PTI inputs)