New Delhi: Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is all set to be the Congress candidate for the ensuing Rajya Sabha bypoll in Rajasthan. The seat fell vacant with the demise of state BJP chief Madan Lal Saini.
Dr Singh’s term in the Rajya Sabha expired in June this year. The veteran Congress leader was a member of the Upper House of Parliament from Assam for almost three decades. He could not be renominated from Assam as the Congress had lost power in the state and did not have sufficient number of MLA’s to get Dr Singh elected.
Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot met Dr Singh on Friday to discuss the modalities of the election.
The Congress was also mulling sending Dr Singh to the Rajya Sabha from Tamil Nadu with the help of its ally DMK, but the negotiations did not come to fruition.
Rajya Sabha MP of the DMK Kanomozhi had been elected to the Lok Sabha creating a vacancy from Tamil Nadu in the Rajya Sabha. The notification for the Rajya Sabha bypoll in Rajasthan was issued on August 7. The last date for filing nominations is August 14.
The election could be held on August 26 and the results will be declared the same day. Dr Singh is expected to file his nomination on August 13.
