Rajya Sabha Polls: Birendra Prasad Baishya, Kamakhya Prasad Tasa File Papers; Likely To Win Uncontested

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: On the last day for filing of papers on Tuesday for the two Rajya Sabha seat falling vacant on June 14, only two candidates filed their nominations. With Senior Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) leader Birendra Prasad Baishya and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kamakhya Prasad Tasa filing nominations at the office of the Returning Officer in Assam Legislative Assembly Secretariat, there is now the possibility of both the candidates winning uncontested from the State if their nominations are found to be valid. Scrutiny of the papers will take place on May 29. The two seats are currently held by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Santiuse Kujur. Election, if required, is slated on June 7. Assam has seven Rajya Sabha seats.

Significantly, no other party — the Congress or the AIUDF or others — fielded any candidate for the two upper House seats from Assam as they lacked the required backup of sufficient number of legislators. A candidate requires at least 42 first preference votes to win a Rajya Sabha seat. While the Congress has 25 legislators in the House, the AIUDF has 13 legislators. On the other hand, the BJP has 61 legislators and its allies, the AGP and the BPF has 14 and 12 MLAs, respectively, in the 126-member Assam Assembly.

The BJP-led alliance also has the support of independent MLA Bhubon Pegu (from Jonai) in the House. On Tuesday, Baishya first filed the papers followed by Tasa in the presence of Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, NEDA convenor and State Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, AGP president Atul Bora, BJP State president Ranjit Kumar Dass and many others.

Talking to the media after filing nomination, Baishya said, “I acknowledge the support rendered to me by our allies including the BJP, BPF, Sanmillita Ganashakti, Tiwa and Rabha organizations. I shall endeavour to highlight the issues confronting the people of Assam.”

Tasa said, “I have filed the nomination as the BJP leadership asked me to. It’s an honour that the party has decided to field me for the Rajya Sabha seat. I will do my best for Assam as well as the nation.”

Birendra Prasad Baishya was first elected to the Parliament from Mangaldoi HPC as an AGP candidate in 1996. After his victory, Baishya became a Cabinet Minister. He was also an MP for the Rajya Sabha for a term. If he wins this time, then it will be his third term in Parliament.

Kamakhya Prasad Tasa was first elected to the Lok Sabha as a BJP candidate from Jorhat Parliamentary seat in 2014. But in 2019, the party offered the seat’s ticket to Topon Kumar Gogoi, who has already won. However, the BJP selected Tasa for the upper House. If elected, it will be Tasa’s second term in Parliament. Meanwhile, NEDA convenor Himanta Biswa Sarma said, “Like we have given one Rajya Sabha seat to the AGP this time, we are going to put up a BPF candidate in the Rajya Sabha elections next year.”

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