BJP, AGP To Field Candidates For Rajya Sabha (RS) Seats

GUWAHATI: The BJP and the AGP — allies of the ruling alliance in the State – have decided to field their candidates for each of the two Rajya Sabha (RS) seats polling for which is slated on June 7. This was decided in the meeting held at New Delhi on Sunday afternoon in the presence of BJP national president Amit Shah, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, NEDA convenor and Assam Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, AGP president Atul Bora, and AGP working president Keshab Mahanta.

Talking to the media after the meeting, Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, “The BJP will fight in one seat while the other seat will be contested by the AGP. The BJP candidate will be a local person. The party will announce the name on Sunday night or Monday. ”

The decision is significant as there were reports of the possibility of Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) president Ram Vilas Paswan contesting from one of the RS seats in Assam. Now it is confirmed that both the seats will be contested by only candidates from the State.

Addressing the media, AGP president Atul Bora thanked the BJP leaders, both at the Centre and the State, for “keeping their commitment given to the AGP during the pre-poll parleys.”

The AGP will field former Rajya Sabha member and former Union Minister Birendra Prasad Baishya for one of the RS seats.

Both the candidates will file their nominations on May 28 — the last day notified by the Election Commission for the purpose. The last date for withdrawal of candidatures will be on May 31. The polling will commence from 9 am till 4 pm on June 7 while the counting of votes will start from 5 pm same day. The election will be completed before June 10. The election has been necessitated as the terms of two existing two RS members from Assam — Dr Manmohan Singh and Santiuse Kujur will expire on June 14. Going by the present strength of the political parties, the victory of the alliance in the upper house polls is certain.

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