Abhishek Manu Singhvi may be fielded for Rajya Sabha from Telangana

New Delhi, July 7

K Keshava Rao’s decision to rejoin the Congress and quit his Rajya Sabha seat from Telangana has fuelled speculation that Congress will field Abhishek Manu Singhvi to fill the vacancy.

Singhvi’s last term in the Rajya Sabha was from West Bengal and it ended in April this year. Before that, he served two terms in the Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan. After Singhvi’s term as an MP from West Bengal ended, Congress fielded him from Himachal Pradesh. But Singhvi lost the elections due to horse trading.

After the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Swati Maliwal revolted against the party and accused Arvind Kejriwal’s aide Bibhav Kumar of assaulting her, reports appearing in the media suggested that Maliwal had been asked to resign from the Rajya Sabha so that Singhvi could be accommodated in her place.

The plan to send Singhvi to Rajya Sabha from Delhi has been apparently dropped prompting the ace lawyer to set his eyes on Telangana.

K Keshava Rao’s present term in the Upper House would have ended in April 2026. This would give his successor in the Rajya Sabha less than two years tenure as an MP.

However, the Congress will be in power in Telangana in 2026 also. Singhvi, if he replaces Rao, could get re-elected from the vacancy for a full six years term after completion of the remaining tenure of the seat left vacant by Rao.