Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal's notable absence during the initial days of the WTO ministerial meeting in Abu Dhabi has stirred discussions among attendees, prompting speculation about his potential candidacy in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
The revelation came from WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who indirectly linked Goyal's absence to his potential involvement in electoral politics.
When questioned about Goyal's absence at the press conference, Okonjo-Iweala stated, "India is going to election and the minister is politically engaged since he is running for a seat himself. So, he has to spend some time (in India). There is no mystery, there was a slight mistiming & he will be here." She further explained that Goyal's responsibilities as the Textiles Minister and the concurrent Bharat Tex event, the largest-ever textile exhibition in Delhi, had contributed to his delayed arrival.
The UAE's Trade Minister and conference chair, Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, disclosed that Goyal was expected to join the discussions by Tuesday evening.
Goyal has historically been an active participant in WTO ministerial meetings, often engaging in debates with representatives of developed countries.
Okonjo-Iweala's remarks inadvertently confirmed widespread speculation surrounding Goyal's potential candidacy for a Mumbai Lok Sabha seat, his hometown. Although the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has yet to disclose its electoral strategy, several ministers, including Labour and Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav and Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, are reportedly preparing for electoral contests.
According to sources, Yadav is anticipated to contest from Bhiwani, while Pradhan is slated to run from Sambalpur in Odisha.
Other likely contenders for Lok Sabha seats include Mansukh Mandaviya, Parshottam Rupala, and Rajeev Chandrasekhar, with their names expected to feature in the initial list of candidates to be announced shortly.
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