BJP national president Amit Shah and textile and I&B minister Smriti Irani will contest the Rajya Sabha election from Gujarat. Shah is currently an MLA from Ahmedabad’s Naranpura, in the outgoing House and this will be his first stint as a parliamentarian. Irani’s tenure as an MP of the Upper House ends on August 18.

The RS polls will be held on August 8 to the three seats — of Irani, Dilip Pandya (BJP), and Ahmed Patel (Congress) — that will fall vacant on August 18. Shah and Irani will file their nominations on Friday, the last day for the process.

With Ahmed Patel being the sole candidate of the Congress, both Shah and Irani are expected to be elected uncontested. However, the BJP has the option of nominating a third candidate against Patel. DNA speculated “that the BJP may name this candidate on Thursday, after a meeting at the party headquarters, Shri Kamalm, in Gandhinagar.”

It is also speculated that the BJP may get Congress MLA and chief whip in the Assembly, Balwantsinh Rajpoot, on its side and field him against Patel. Rajput is a close relative of former Congress leader Shankersinh Vaghela.