Guwahati: In a move that could have further embarrassed the ruling Congress after already drawing flak for nominating UP MP Sanjay Singh for Rajya Sabha from Assam, its ally BPF’s candidate Biswajit Daimary on Thursday came on the verge of withdrawing from the race for the Upper House.
As speculations were played out in the media over the Congress’ purported decision to move Daimary to its third preference candidate, which would have spelt defeat for him, the incumbent MP on Thursday almost withdrew his nomination only to be dissuaded by a last minute ‘assurance’ from CM Tarun Gogoi himself.
Daimary had reached the Assam Legislative Assembly premise this forenoon and also collected the papers for withdrawing his nomination.
However, a phone call from Gogoi led him to change his decision.
‘The CM has himself assured me that I will remain the second preference candidate for the Congress. If I am pushed to the third place our party has no means or support to ensure my victory and to contest would have been pointless,” Daimary told reporters later.
The last date for withdrawal of nominations is January 31.
Two candidates of the ruling Congress – Sanjay Singh and Bhubaneswar Kalita, its ally Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) nominee Biswajit Daimary and Opposition’s consensus candidate Haider Hussain, a noted journalist, are in the fray for the three seats for which elections will be held on February 7.
The ruling Congress has 79 MLAs and its ally BPF has 12 members in the 126-strong Assam Assembly.
Among the Opposition parties, the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) has 18 MLAs, AGP has nine MLAs and BJP has five MLAs.
There are two Independent and one Trinamool Congress legislator in the state, who have supported the ruling coalition in the past though it is not certain whether they will vote for the ruling coalition candidates in the Rajya Sabha elections.
The Congress has the requisite numbers to get its first two preference candidates elected, while a combined Opposition could ensure the victory of their consensus candidate.
The number game is expected to take an interesting turn during voting as the Congress is keen to get both its candidates elected as well as ally BPF’s nominee.
While initially maintaining that the BPF nominee would be its second preference candidate, Congress sources were quoted as stating that Daimary could be pushed to the third position.
The CM’s assurance to Daimary would lead to new equations in the Congress camp as defeat of any of its two candidate could leave the ruling party red-faced. It is already drawing flak for nominating Singh from Assam, as political as well as apolitical organisations are raising questions over ‘dumping’ of an ‘outsider’. (UNI)
