Chhattisgarh: Congress renominates tribal leader Phulo Devi Netam for RS polls

Netam (54), who hails from Kondagaon district in Bastar region, was first elected as a legislator in 1998 in the undivided Madhya Pradesh assembly

The opposition Congress in Chhattisgarh has renominated senior tribal leader Phulo Devi Netam, the sitting Rajya Sabha member, as its candidate for the biennial Rajya Sabha elections scheduled on March 16. The party announced Netam’s candidature on Wednesday night.

Netam has been serving as the president of the Chhattisgarh Pradesh Mahila Congress Committee since 2016. (@NetamPhulodevi)

Of the five Rajya Sabha members from the state, the terms of Netam and Kavi Tejpal Singh Tulsi, both from the Congress, will expire on April 9. Elections are being held to fill the two vacancies.

The other Rajya Sabha members from Chhattisgarh are Ranjeet Ranjan and Rajiv Shukla of the Congress and Devendra Pratap Singh of the BJP.

Netam (54), who hails from Kondagaon district in Bastar region, was first elected as a legislator in 1998 in the undivided Madhya Pradesh assembly. After the formation of Chhattisgarh in 2000, she became a member of the state’s first legislative assembly.

Netam has been serving as the president of the Chhattisgarh Pradesh Mahila Congress Committee since 2016 and has held several key organisational positions in the party.

Former chief minister Bhupesh Baghel congratulated Netam and expressed confidence that she will continue to raise issues of public interest in the Upper House of Parliament.

“Heartiest congratulations and best wishes to Bastar’s daughter, an energetic leader, president of the Chhattisgarh Mahila Congress and Rajya Sabha MP Phulo Devi Netam on being renominated for the Rajya Sabha elections by the All India Congress Committee,” Baghel said in a social media post.

“We are confident that you will continue to strongly raise issues of public interest in the Upper House of Parliament and fight decisively for the people, as you have done earlier,” he added.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has fielded senior leader Laxmi Verma as its candidate for the Rajya Sabha polls.

Both candidates are expected to file their nomination papers on Thursday, the last day for submitting nominations.

The electoral college for the Rajya Sabha polls comprises elected members of the state legislative assembly.

In the 90-member Chhattisgarh assembly, the BJP has 54 MLAs, the Congress 35 and the Gondwana Gantantra Party one. Based on their strength in the House, both the BJP and the Congress are expected to win one seat each.

Scrutiny of nomination papers will take place on March 6, while candidates can withdraw their nominations till March 9. Polling will be held on March 16 between 9am and 4pm, and counting will begin at 5pm the same day. Voting will be conducted through ballot papers.