Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday made it to the Rajya Sabha from Assam for the fifth straight term. Congress other candidate Santiuse Kujur, an executive member of the BTC, also got elected to the Upper House for the first time.
While the Congress had put up two candidates Singh and Kujur for both the seats of the Upper House, State’s principal Opposition party All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) had fielded Aminul Islam as its candidate for the second seat.
The voting started around 9 am on Thursday and Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi cast the first vote for Manmohan Singh. The Congress leaders and members of its ally Bodoland Peoples’ Front (BPF) and three other Independent legislators voted in favour of the Congress candidates.
Poll officials said that out of total of 112 votes, Manmohan received 49 votes, Kujur 45 and the AIUDF candidate 18. The AGP and the BJP, which have nine and five legislators respectively in the present Assembly, abstained from voting. The two Rajya Sabha seats, which are being held by Singh and AGP’s Kumar Deepak Das, will fall vacant on June 14 next.
Manmohan Singh has been representing Assam in the Upper House since 1991. Former Assam Chief Minister late Hiteswar Saikia offered him a Rajya Sabha seat from Assam after he became the Union Finance Minister. Saikia also made him a tenant in his house located at Sarumotoria locality in Guwahati.