By Syed Zarir Hussain
Guwahati, May 1 (IANS) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s adopted home state of Assam is all set to re-elect him for a fourth straight term in the biennial elections for Rajya Sabha May 24.
“It would be a mere formality for the prime minister to get re-elected to the Rajya Sabha from one of the two seats in Assam,” Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi told IANS on telephone from New Delhi.
The prime minister is one of the two MPs from Assam whose term ends June 14. The second Rajya Sabha MP from Assam is Indramoni Bora from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
“We are not going to field any candidate for the second seat,” the chief minister said.
The Election Commission Monday announced the poll schedule – the last date for filing nominations is May 14 and the papers will be scrutinised the next day. The last date for withdrawal of candidature is May 17. Counting of votes will take place May 24, soon after polling ends.
The Congress has 53 seats in the 126-member state legislature. Besides, there are six associate members, 12 legislators of the Bodo People’s Progressive Front and one from the Nationalist Congress Party (both supporting the Congress-led government in Assam).
Manmohan Singh has served three terms as member of Rajya Sabha – the upper house in parliament – since 1991 when he was finance minister during the tenure of late prime minister P.V. Narasimha Rao.
He served his second term in 1995 and was re-elected in 2001.
“It is a matter of great pride for Assam with the prime minister choosing our state for seeking a re-election to the Rajya Sabha once again. This demonstrates his commitment and keenness for the overall development of Assam,” Gogoi said.
The prime minister invariably refers to Assam as his “adopted home state” during his many visits to the state.
“The prime minister did a lot of community development work from his MP Local Area Development Fund. During his tenure, we have got many big projects for the overall development of the state in particular and the northeast in general,” a Congress leader said.