Ranchi, March 17: The run-up to the forthcoming Rajya Sabha elections began today with JVM candidate Pravin Singh filing his nomination in the Assembly.

March 19 is the last date to file nominations for the biennial elections slated on March 30. Of the six Rajya Sabha seats of the state, two will fall vacant on April 2 with the term of S.S. Ahluwalia (BJP) and Mabel Rebello (Congress) ending.

JVM leaders including party supremo Babulal Marandi and legislative party leader Pradeep Yadav have sought Congress support, as a return gesture for two years ago, when it supported Congress nominee Dhiraj Prasad Sahu.

“We are fielding a son of the soil. Our party supported Congress last time. So, the pre-poll alliance partner should support us this time,” Yadav said after filing his nomination before Assembly secretary K.K. Prasad.

Pravin Singh happens to be the party general secretary and hails from Lohardaga.

The political grapevine in the capital was abuzz with speculation that Congress state president Pradeep Kumar Balmuchu was in the race to the House of Elders. The name of industrialist R.K. Aggrawal was also doing the rounds.

Besides Ahluwalia and Rebello, Jharkhand is represented in Rajya Sabha by Reliance man Parimal Nathwani, Congress’ Sahu, Alchemist Group head Kanwar Deep Singh and Jai Prakash Narayan Singh.

Notably, the state and its MLAs are well-known for sending “outsider” candidates to the Upper House.

Given the strength in the Assembly, no party is in a position to send its nominee on its own to the Rajya Sabha. Partners BJP and JMM have 18 MLAs each, while Ajsu has five MLAs. A candidate needs at least 27 votes to win the seat in the 81-member House.

The Congress and JVM have 13 and 11 seats respectively. So, they will have to get RJD (5) and Independents on board.

In the last elections , BJP was left red-faced after party nominee Ajay Maroo managed only 17 votes.