PM files nomination;Opp to arrive at consensus over second seat

Guwahati, May 9 (UNI) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today filed his nomination for the May 24 Rajya Sabha election in Asom even as Opposition parties failed to arrive at a consensus candidate for the second seat.

Dr Singh is seeking a fourth consecutive term at the Upper House from his 'adopted home state', after being elected in 1991, 1995 and 2001.

While the Prime Minister is seeking re-election from the seat he would vacate on June 14, the term of BJP's Indramoni Bora would also expire on the same day.

At the end of nomination filing hours on the third day after the notification was issued, only two papers have been filed, Asom Legislative Assembly secretary G P Das informed.

While one was filed by the Prime Minister today, the first nomination was filed by the 'election king' from Matur in Salem district of Tamil Nadu, 48-year-old K Padmarajan, yesterday.

Though his nomination stands rejected in the absence of support from at least 10 MLAs, Mr Padmarajan's 'mission' of entering the fame rolls by contesting as many elections as possible had brought him to the state.

Mr Padmarajan's name has already figured in the Guinness Book of World Records in 2004 as the person who contested the most number of elections and in the Limca Book of Records in 2003 as the world's most unsuccessful candidate in polls.

His illustrious list of opponents include the names of the likes of former President K R Narayanan and former Prime Ministers Atal Bihari Vajpayee and P V Narashimha Rao, with Dr Singh being the latest addition.

The secretary further informed that eight sets of nomination papers have been given out so far, of which two have been filed.

The notification for the polls was issued on May 7. While the last date of filing of nominations is May 14, the papers will be scrutinised the next day. The last date for withdrawal of candidature is May 17.

The polling would be held on May 24 and results declared the same evening.

Meanwhile, consensus eludes the Opposition on fielding a common candidate for the second seat.

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