Bhatia, a former Lok Sabha MP and a close aide of former Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, is widely seen as a consensus choice within the party. His nomination is being seen as a reflection of Khattar’s continuing influence within the Haryana BJP. Party sources said Bhatia’s organisational experience and familiarity with state affairs weighed in his favour.

The Rajya Sabha election in Haryana will be held on March 16 during the ongoing Budget Session of the Haryana Vidhan Sabha. With the BJP holding 48 seats in the 90-member Assembly, Bhatia’s election appears smooth. A candidate requires 31 first-preference votes to win.

Two Rajya Sabha seats from Haryana are falling vacant as the terms of BJP leaders Ram Chander Jangra and Kiran Choudhry end. As per the current strength in the Assembly, both the BJP and the Congress are in a position to win one seat each. The Congress has 37 MLAs, enough to secure one berth. Still, party leaders indicated they are taking precautions amid apprehensions that Independent MLA Gopal Kanda could enter the fray, allegedly with tacit backing from the BJP, to complicate the contest.

“We have the numbers, but we are preparing for all machinations,” a senior Congress leader said, adding that the party is finalising its nominee. March 5 is the last date for filing nominations.

Meanwhile, in Bihar, the BJP named Nitin Nabin, who was recently elevated as the state party president. An MLA in the Bihar Assembly, Nabin, is set to enter the Rajya Sabha for the first time. His candidature had been widely anticipated following his organisational promotion.

The Rajya Sabha members are elected by MLAs through proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote. With numbers clearly favouring the ruling party in Haryana and a straightforward arithmetic in Bihar, both BJP nominees are expected to secure their respective seats without major hurdles.