NEW DELHI: When the Parliament reconvenes on April 24, an item which tops the BJP agenda list is the selection of Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha.
The present incumbent S S Ahluwalia’s term ends on April 2 and he has, so far, not managed to get a renomination for another term.
The new deputy leader has an uphill task to live up to the exacting standards set by Ahluwalia.
Party’s chief spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad heads the list of hopefuls, and the list also includes another party spokesperson Prakash Javadekar and party vice-chief Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi. Gujarat MP Puroshattam Rupala, a confidant of state CM Narendra Modi, might turn out to be the ‘dark horse’ in the race.
But there is a twist in the tale. With the election for two seats to the RS from Jharkhand to be held afresh following charges of horse-trading, there is an outside possibility of the party re-nominating Ahluwalia, who represents the state in the RS.