Heavy lobbying in Assam for 3 RS seats

Guwahati: A day after election commission of India announced elections for three Rajya Sabha seats, hectic lobbying has started in opposition to claim at least one out of three seats from BJP led alliance which is set to get two seats.

Indicating that Bharatiya Janata Party which heads three party ruling alliance will share one of two confirm seats with Bodoland Peoples Front (BPF), Assam finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that BJP would be fielding candidate on one seat.

“There is no question of contesting the third seat if opposition parties are united. We will think strategically if they are not united,” said Sarma clarifying, “Last time we have given a seat to AGP. This time we are giving one seat to Bodoland Peoples Front. Because BPF’s Biswajit Daimary is retiring. We are fulfilling our commitment.”

Former Congress members of Rajya Sabha from Assam Bhubaneswar Kalita and Sanjay Singh resigned from the Upper House of Parliament to join BJP. On the other hand, BPF MP Biswajit Daimay’s term will end on April 9, 2020. Elections to the three Rajya Sabha seats from Assam will be held on March 26.

In the 126-member Assam Assembly, the BJP and its allies BPF and Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) together have 87 seats. Congress has 25 seats, All India United Democratic Front 13 and there is an independent.

“In the third seat, we have no role to play if the opposition parties unite. However, in case they find a problem in putting up a candidate, we will have a responsibility. As of now, we are not doing any arithmetic to win third seat,” the minister said.

He added the Bharatiya Janata Party would contest in two other seats which would fall vacant at the end of the term of the current government next year. The other serving Rajya Sabha MPs from Assam are Ripun Bora, Ranee Narah and Kamakhya Prasad Tasa.

Meanwhile, informal discussion has started between AIUDF and Congress party to field a common candidate for the third seat. Informing that there has been attempt to field a consensus candidate, sources said that Assam Congress was waiting for the signal from AICC to start the exercise.