Assam polls 2016: Rajya Sabha poll win boosts Congress ahead of big test

Guwahati, March 22: The Congress, which is facing a strong anti-incumbency in Assam, received a boost ahead of the two-phase Assembly election starting April 4 by winning both the Rajya Sabha seats from the state.

Assam Pradesh Congress Committee vice-president Ripun Bora and former Union minister Ranee Narah won the election as the Opposition AIUDF, AGP, BJP and BPF stayed away. Mahabir Prasad Jain, a businessman who was backed by 10 BPF MLAs as an Independent candidate, scored a naught.

Elated over the result, the ruling party said it was a trailer of what will be seen on May 19, when results of the Assembly elections in four states and one UT will be known. State Congress president Anjan Dutta said the Rajya Sabha poll result showed how the Opposition parties would do in the upcoming Assembly polls. He also stressed the fact that five of the AIUDF's 18 MLAs backed the Congress candidates.

He said the BPF, an ally of the BJP in the state polls, "disowned" him on the polling day which, he said, showed that the alliance is not in a healthy state.

The BJP, AGP and BPF have formed an alliance in this election.

Oneindia News