Rajya Sabha polls: Will vote for ruling alliance candidates in Assam, says suspended Congress MLA

Guwahati, Mar 30: Suspended Congress MLA Sashi Kanta Das on Tuesday said he will be voting for the ruling BJP-led coalition government candidates in the Rajya Sabha polls for the cause of "development". He, however, refuted any plans of joining the saffron party.

Election for two Rajya Sabha seats in Assam will be held on March 31, and counting will take place on the same day.

Talking to PTI, Das said, "I will be voting for the ruling alliance's candidates in the Rajya Sabha election for the cause of development of my constituency." "My neighbouring constituencies have BJP MLAs, and I don't want my constituency to lag behind," he added.

Das said he had met Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday and discussed various issues.

Asked on plans to join the BJP, Das replied in the negative.

Sarma had called on Das at his Raha residence in Nagaon district earlier this month and claimed that the opposition MLA will vote for the ruling alliance.

Das, a first-time MLA from Raha constituency, had on December 20 announced that he "joined the government", but said he would continue to remain in the Congress.

Hours later, the state Congress had issued a show-cause notice to the MLA and subsequently suspended him from the party.

The two Rajya Sabha seats in Assam are currently held by Ripun Bora and Ranee Narah of the Congress.