Congress MP from Sultanpur Lok Sabha constituency in Uttar Pradesh Sanjoy Singh is one of the Congress candidates who have filed nominations for the February 7 election to the three Rajya Sabha seats from Assam.
The Congress has fielded Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president and sitting Rajya Sabha member Bhubaneswar Kalita for the RS polls.
Congress ally Bodoland People’s Front has fielded sitting RS member Biswajeet Daimary as its candidate for the RS polls.
The opposition political parties comprising the Bharatiya Janata Party, Asom Gana Parishad and All India United Democratic Front have fielded a common candidate, Haider Hussain -- a columnist, writer and former editor-in-chief of the largest circulated Assamese Daily ‘Asomiya Pratidin’, in the election. The opposition camp exuded confidence over the victory of their candidate.
The state BJP which initially decided not to participate in the Rajya Sabha election, on Tuesday, decided to support the AGP-AIUDF candidate Haider Hussain, a non-political person, in protest against Congress’ decision to field an outsider (Sanjoy Singh) in Rajya Sabha election.
“We have decided to support the opposition’s combined candidate Haider Hussain, who has worked for Assam,” said Sarbananda Sonowal, president of Assam state BJP unit.
Tuesday was the last day for filing of nomination papers which will be scrutinised on Wednesday. January 31 is the last for withdrawal of nominations. Election will be held on February 7.
The ruling Congress has 79 MLAs in the 126-member Assam Assembly, it is supported by 12 MLAs from the ally Bodoland People’s Front, two Independent MLAs and lone Trinamool Congress MLA. The opposition AIUDF has 18 MLAs, AGP has nine MLAs, BJP has five MLAs.
Meanwhile, the Trinamool Congress was likely to support the combined opposition’s candidate.
Filing his nomination in the presence of Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and state PCC chief Bhubaneswar Kalita, Sanjoy Singh said, “I am an obedient soldier of Congress party and have come to contest Rajya Sabha election from Assam as per the wishes of party high command. It will give me an opportunity to serve the people of Assam.”
