S. Jaishankar, the minister of foreign affairs, presented his nomination papers for the Rajya Sabha election to returning officer Rita Mehta at the Vidhan Sabha complex, accompanied by CM Bhupendra Patel, Gujarat BJP president C R Paatil, and other dignitaries. Speaking to the media after filing his papers, Jaishankar thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the BJP leadership, MLAs, and the people of Gujarat for giving him another chance to represent the state in the upper house.
“I got a chance to be part of the changes seen in the last four years, especially in foreign policy, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. I hope and expect to contribute to the development of the country under Modi's leadership,” he told reporters after filing his form.
Jaishankar said he was fortunate to represent Gujarat, considered a model state not just in India but also globally for its schemes and developmental projects. “I would express gratitude for another chance. I am also thankful for the support and enthusiasm of legislators,” he said. On India’s relations with neighbouring countries, the external affairs minister said overall there has been great progress with countries such as Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in nine years of the Modi government. “We have increased trade and connectivity, our relationship has improved, and even from the perspective of security, there has been an improvement,” he said.