Assam representatives to Rajya Sabha to win uncontested

Guwahati, Mar 15 (UNI) Assam Pradesh Congress chief Bhubaneswar Kalita, BPF nominee Biswajit Daimary and AGP candidate Birendra Prasad Baishya today filed nominations for the three Rajya Sabha seats falling vacant in the state and are set to join the Upper House uncontested.

The elections, slated for March 26, have become a mere formality with only three candidates filing papers for as many seats on the last date for filing of papers elapsing today.

The Congress, besides its own candidate Mr Kalita, would also extend support to Mr Daimary, the Bodoland People's Front (BPF) nominee. The BPF is the coalition partner of the ruling Congress in the state.

The Congress leaders were in full show of strengthen while Mr Kalita filed his nomination, while BPF chief Hagrama Mohilary and his colleagues boosted Mr Daimary's support.

The main opposition party, Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), which had earned the consent of other opposition parties to field a consensus candidate, had declared its choice of former Union minister Birendra Prasad Baishya yesterday.

Besides leaders of the AGP, BJP state president Ramen Deka, AUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal, CPI(M) legislator Ananta Deka and other leaders of the opposition were present during Mr Baishya's filing of nomination papers.

The AGP had also claimed the support of four Independent MLAs, adding that negotiations were on to garner more support.

While scrutiny of nominations would be done on March 18, the last date of withdrawal is March 19.

The three seats in Assam would be vacated by Dwijendranath Sarma, Karnendu Bhattacharjee and UG Brahma as their term expires on April 9.

In all elections would be held in 17 states for 56 seats for the Rajya Sabha, with one seat each falling vacant in Meghalaya, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh.

UNI SG PC RD 1411