JAIPUR: Union minister of state for tourism Alphons Kannanthanam was elected unopposed to Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan on Thursday.
Kannanthanam, as the BJP candidate, was the lone candidate for the by-poll for the Rajya Sabha seat, which was vacant since former Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu being elected as the vice-president in August. On Thursday, which was the last day for withdrawal of nominations, the Union minister was declared to be elected unopposed, by election returning officer Prithvi Raj at the assembly.
With Kannanthanam being elected from Rajasthan, the state's representation in the Union council of ministers is back to six, which had come down by one after Naidu took over as vice-president. Lok Sabha members from the state like Arjun Meghwal, Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, P P Choudhary, C R Chaudhary and Gajendra Singh Shekhawat are also Union ministers of state.
Calling Rajasthan the land of `bhakti and shakti', Kannanthanam, while addressing mediapersons, said that he will represent the poor and the common man from the state. ``I too am a Rajasthani now,'' he said, pointing out to the colourful safa on his head, that the BJP party members had him wear after the formal announcement. State parliamentary affairs minister Rajendra Rathore, cabinet minister Arun Chaturvedi, state party president Ashok Parnami along with a few BJP MLAs were present at the assembly during the announcement.
Kannanthanam promised to work towards making Rajasthan the number one state in the tourism sector. "We already are working on three tourism projects, which includes the tribal tourism circuit and eco-tourism circuit. Rs 300 crore is needed for the projects and I will see that the proposals are sanctioned soon and funds are allotted. There is also proposal about a religious circuit,'' he said, promising to visit the state at least once a month. The Union minister, whose portfolio also includes electronics and information technology (IT), assured to work to bring investment in this sector to the state.
Kannanthanam said that being elected from Rajasthan showed how India was one. "I come from a small village in Kerala and have been elected from here. This shows how all of us are one and how we all work together for the nation,'' he said.
Of the 10 Rajya Sabha MPs in the state, eight are held by the BJP members while two are held by Congress members. Of these the terms of Congress' Abhishekh Manu Singhvi and Narendra Budania along with BJP's Bhupendra Yadav will end in April 2018.
Kannanthanam, as the BJP candidate, was the lone candidate for the by-poll for the Rajya Sabha seat, which was vacant since former Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu being elected as the vice-president in August. On Thursday, which was the last day for withdrawal of nominations, the Union minister was declared to be elected unopposed, by election returning officer Prithvi Raj at the assembly.
With Kannanthanam being elected from Rajasthan, the state's representation in the Union council of ministers is back to six, which had come down by one after Naidu took over as vice-president. Lok Sabha members from the state like Arjun Meghwal, Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, P P Choudhary, C R Chaudhary and Gajendra Singh Shekhawat are also Union ministers of state.
Calling Rajasthan the land of `bhakti and shakti', Kannanthanam, while addressing mediapersons, said that he will represent the poor and the common man from the state. ``I too am a Rajasthani now,'' he said, pointing out to the colourful safa on his head, that the BJP party members had him wear after the formal announcement. State parliamentary affairs minister Rajendra Rathore, cabinet minister Arun Chaturvedi, state party president Ashok Parnami along with a few BJP MLAs were present at the assembly during the announcement.
Kannanthanam promised to work towards making Rajasthan the number one state in the tourism sector. "We already are working on three tourism projects, which includes the tribal tourism circuit and eco-tourism circuit. Rs 300 crore is needed for the projects and I will see that the proposals are sanctioned soon and funds are allotted. There is also proposal about a religious circuit,'' he said, promising to visit the state at least once a month. The Union minister, whose portfolio also includes electronics and information technology (IT), assured to work to bring investment in this sector to the state.
Kannanthanam said that being elected from Rajasthan showed how India was one. "I come from a small village in Kerala and have been elected from here. This shows how all of us are one and how we all work together for the nation,'' he said.
Of the 10 Rajya Sabha MPs in the state, eight are held by the BJP members while two are held by Congress members. Of these the terms of Congress' Abhishekh Manu Singhvi and Narendra Budania along with BJP's Bhupendra Yadav will end in April 2018.
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