The other BJP candidate chosen for the RS from the state is Dilip Pandya, who has a strong RSS linkage.
The terms of two Rajya Sabha members from Gujarat, BJP treasurer and former AUDA chief Surendra Patel and RSS activist and tribal grassroots worker Pravin Naik, expire this month. Rajya Sabha elections are slated for July 22.
Party sources revealed the name of the television star who is All-India BJP Mahila Morcha president was cleared by the party high command and was also cleared by the Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.
Interestingly, Irani joined BJP in 2003 but soon after, she came down hard on Modi for his role in Godhra riots. She had even threatened to go on a fast until death demanding his resignation.
However, after the intervention of senior party leaders Atal Behari Vajpayee and L K Advani, Irani retracted her statements and demands. She had campaigned extensively for BJP in civic elections October last. Not only in Gujarat but also in other states, Irani has been praising Modi and his development model of late. She has also been talking about his efforts to maintain communal harmony.
Last October in Surat, she had declared she was a very big Modi fan and had stressed that the CBI was harassing Gujarat government at the behest of Congress which could not defeat Modi democratically.
She later got a place on the national executive and was even given a ticket to contest election from the prestigious Chandni Chowk constituency in Delhi but she lost to Kapil Sibal.
Raising the issue of CBI probe in Sohrabuddin fake encounter probe, Irani had said the investigation was biased and motivated.
