The BJP on Wednesday nominated its spokesperson Syed Zafar Islam to the Rajya Sabha from Uttar Pradesh, as the candidate on the seat previously held by late Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh.
Singh, who passed away recently, was a sitting member of the Upper House and had a year and a half left in his term. Polls for this seat are scheduled for September 11.
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Mr. Islam has been the BJP spokesperson for some time but this specific reward appears to be for helping to bring over former Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia to the BJP from the Congress, which helped bring down the Kamal Nath government in Madhya Pradesh.
Mr. Islam, an investment banker, had old business school ties with Mr. Scindia and was an important communication channel between the BJP high command and the former Congress leader.
