Guwahati, March 18: The central BJP committee on Friday approved the name of Assam BJP spokesperson Pabitra Margherita as the party’s candidate for one of the two seats of the ensuing Rajya Sabha polls from Assam.
Margherita, who has over two decades of experience in the field of culture, is also the member secretary of the State Level Advisory Committee (SLAC) for Student and Youth Welfare.
It may be mentioned that speculations were rife of late in regard to Margherita getting a ticket to contest one of the Rajya Sabha seats in the state.
The Rajya Sabha elections will be held in Assam to fill up two seats that will fall vacant after the terms of MPs, Ranee Narah and Ripun Bora, come to an end on April 2, 2022.
On the other hand, the party high command also approved the names of S Phangnon Konyak and Manik Saha to contest the Rajya Sabha seats in Nagaland and Tripura respectively.
Elections to four Rajya Sabha seats in three Northeastern states – Assam (two seats), Tripura (one seat) and Nagaland (one seat) – will be held on March 31, 2022, the Election Commission of India announced earlier this month.
Scrutiny of nominations will take place on March 22, 2022. The last date for withdrawal of candidatures has been scheduled on March 24, 2022.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Ripun Bora is also set to apply for candidature for one Rajya Sabha seat in Assam.
Speaking to the media on Friday, Bora said, “I am not a candidate as of now but only an applicant (aspirant) for the candidature to one of the Rajya Sabha seats.”
“However, until the High Command declares my name as a candidate for the Rajya Sabha seat, I cannot say anything more as of now. But yes, I have collected the nomination form since I am an applicant,” Bora said.
The veteran Congress leader and former Assam PCC president had also met Assam CLP leader Debabrata Saikia at the latter’s residence on Friday. “I met him (Saikia) to convey my Holi greetings,” Bora said when asked about the meeting.
Saikia, when asked, said that the Opposition party MLAs would support and vote for the candidate who has the approval of the party High Command.
