New Delhi: Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel is all set to be re-nominated as the party's candidate for the upcoming Rajya Sabha election from Gujarat. The re-nomination of Patel, political secretary to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, was approved by party vice-president Rahul Gandhi at a meeting with senior leaders of the state unit.

 

If re-elected, the 67-year-old leader would become a member of the Upper House of Parliament for the fifth time. The Congress leadership is confident of his victory, despite the recent exit of Gujarat strongman, former Chief Minister Shankarsinh Vaghela from the party.

 

Congress has 57 MLAs in the 162-seat Gujarat assembly and needs 47 for its candidate to win the RS seat. Congress also has the support of two NCP and one JD(U) legislator in Gujarat and feels it can retain the seat, even if Vaghela walks away with some MLAs.

 

The last date for filing of nominations for 10 Rajya Sabha vacancies from Gujarat, West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh is July 28. The process of nominations began on July 21 for the August 8 election.