Assam Rajya Sabha battle heats up as NDA eyes 2 seats, AIUDF stakes third claim

Guwahati, Jan 10: With three Rajya Sabha seats from Assam set to fall vacant in April, the political battle has speed up with the ruling NDA and the Opposition staking competing claims over the outcome.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has asserted that the BJP-led alliance will contest all three seats and is certain of winning at least two, while the opposition All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) has announced its president Badruddin Ajmal as its candidate and appealed to the Congress for support to secure the third seat.

Addressing a press conference in Guwahati on Friday, Sarma said the BJP, along with its allies the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and other partners in the ruling coalition, would field candidates for all three vacancies.

“The BJP, AGP and our united front will contest all the three Rajya Sabha seats from Assam. We are confident of winning two seats for sure. The third seat may also come to us, though that will depend on the final arithmetic,” Sarma said.

The seats are currently held by BJP MPs Bhubaneswar Kalita and Rameswar Teli, and Independent MP Ajit Kumar Bhuyan. Their terms will end on April 9, and the Election Commission is expected to announce the poll schedule shortly.

Explaining why the BJP-led alliance had not fielded a candidate against Bhuyan in the previous Rajya Sabha election, Sarma said the ruling side had believed the Independent MP would maintain neutrality.

“We thought he would remain neutral and work in the larger public interest. But what happened to the utilisation of his Rajya Sabha MP funds is now well known,” Sarma remarked, alluding to corruption allegations related to the use of Bhuyan’s MPLAD funds.

Meanwhile, the AIUDF formally announced Ajmal’s candidature for the upcoming Rajya Sabha election and launched a direct appeal to the Congress to close ranks.

Addressing the press on January 9, AIUDF general secretary (organisation) and MLA Rafiqul Islam said the Opposition, if united, has the numbers to win one of the three seats.

“AIUDF has written to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi, and other senior leaders seeking their support for Badruddin Ajmal,” Islam said.

He reminded the Congress of AIUDF’s past support to opposition candidates.

“On several occasions, we have supported Congress and other opposition nominees in Rajya Sabha elections and even in presidential elections. This time, it is only fair that the Congress supports us,” Islam said.

Questioning the NDA’s claim of a possible clean sweep, Islam argued that the ruling alliance does not have the numbers to win all three seats.

“With the present strength in the Assembly, the NDA cannot win more than two seats. They do not have the strength for the third. If the opposition remains united, we can certainly win that seat,” he added.

In the legislative Assembly, the BJP has 64 MLAs, while its allies AGP, UPPL and BPF have nine, seven and three legislators respectively, giving the NDA a comfortable majority.

On the opposition benches, the Congress has 26 MLAs, AIUDF 15, CPI(M) one, along with one Independent legislator.

With inputs from PTI