It would be privilege to contest upcoming Lok Sabha elections, says Union Minister Piyush Goyal

Union Minister Piyush Goyal ready to contest upcoming general elections, awaiting BJP's decision on candidacy.

Union Minister Piyush Goyal, who is among the Ministers in the Modi government that are being speculated for contesting upcoming general elections, said he is ready to take the electoral plunge, but it is for the party to decide on the issue.

Mr. Goyal, who holds heads the Commerce and Industry, Textiles, and Food and Consumer Affairs Ministries, is a Rajya Sabha member from Maharashtra. He is a three-time member of the Upper House. He is the son of former BJP treasurer Ved Prakash Goyal and if nominated, this will be his first Lok Sabha contest.

In an interview with PTI, he said it would be a privilege to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, but a decision in this regard has to be taken by the BJP party leadership. On whether he would like to contest the elections from Maharashtra, he said it would depend upon the party. "Of course, I am very excited, I am looking forward to a decision being made by the party leaders and I do hope that I (will) get an opportunity to contest. It will be my privilege," he said.

When asked if he would prefer to contest from Maharashtra, Mr. Goyal said: "Party leaders take these decisions and we are all karyakartas (workers) of the party. For us whatever work, whatever constituency, the party gives us, it will be a matter of pride and privilege for being given the opportunity to contest".

The ruling BJP has named 34 Union Ministers in the first list of 195 candidates. Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, Bhupender Yadav, Mansukh Mandaviya, Sarbananda Sonowal, Kiren Rijiju, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Arjun Ram Meghwal, G Kishan Reddy, Arjun Munda and Smriti Irani have been named as candidates by the party.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Modi has set a target for the BJP to win at least 370 seats on its own in this Lok Sabha election and more than 400 for the NDA. The BJP won 303 seats in the 2019 polls but currently, it has 290 members in Lok Sabha for various reasons including some MPs recently resigning after winning assembly polls.

The Election Commission of India is expected to announce the poll schedule soon and the elections are likely to be held in April-May.