Sambhajiraje Chhatrapati, a former Rajya Sabha member, on Thursday announced that he would independently contest the next election to Rajya Sabha slated for June 10. He also announced the setting up of a new outfit, ‘Swaraj’, at a press conference in Pune. Sambhajiraje was nominated by BJP from the President’s quota in the upper house and his term expires in July.
“Going by the work I have done for society during my six years’ tenure as President-appointed Rajya Sabha MP, I am entitled to become a Rajya Sabha member again, and I am sure I will get support,” he said.
“Therefore, I have decided to contest the upcoming Rajya Sabha election independently,” said Sambhajiraje, who is a descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. His new outfit will be non-political for now, he said and hinted that Swaraj may become a political party in future.
He said that he is not a member of any political party from today onwards and thereby has severed links with BJP.
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