Three candidates have filed nominations for the two Rajya Sabha seats in Assam for which the elections will be held on March 21 this year.
While former State Education Minister and senior Congress leader Ripun Bora and former Union Minister for tribal affairs Ranee Narah has filed nomination as Congress candidate for the two Rajya Sabha seats, businessman and president of Kamrup Chamber of Commerce Mahabir Jain has also filed nomination for the Rajya Sabha. Jain is trying to garner support from the opposition and is backed by the Bodoland Peoples’ Front (BPF).
While Ripun Bora will be the first preference candidate of the Congress, Narah will be the second preference candidate for the Rajya Sabha elections.
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Anjan Dutta, who accompanied the duo in filing the nominations, said that the party is confident of winning in both the seats.
“We believe that active people should be nominated to the Rajya Sabha who can take up the issues and problems of the State. So we have nominated Ripun Bora and Ranee Narah to the Upper House so that they can play a active role,” said Assam Chief minister Tarun Gogoi while adding that he believes that the party will sail through in both the seats.
The terms of the two Rajya Sabha seats, which are currently held by Pankaj Bora and Naznin Faruque, expires on April 2. Today was the last date for filing of the nominations and polls will be held on March 21 between 9 am to 4 pm. The counting will be held at 5 pm the same day and the election process should be completed before March 23.
It may be mentioned here that at present the effective strength of the House is 114, which includes 70 Congress legislators, 16 All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) legislators, eight AGP legislators, six BJP legislators, 12 Bodoland Peoples’ Front legislators, one Trinamool Gana Parishad (TGP) and one Independent legislators.