Assam: Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal files nomination for RS polls

With the Congress and other opposition parties not naming any candidate for the Rajya Sabha polls to be held on October 4, Sarbananda Sonowal is expected to win the election uncontested. The last date for filing of nominations is Wednesday

Published on: Sep 21, 2021, 12:25:10 IST

By Utpal Parashar

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Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal filed nomination papers for the vacant Rajya Sabha seat from Assam on Tuesday. The former chief minister of the state was accompanied by current CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, Atul Bora of Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and Pramod Boro of the United Peoples Party Liberal (UPPL)-- the latter two are presidents of parties in alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Assam .

Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal files his nomination papers for the Rajya Sabha elections in the presence of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma at Dispur in Guwahati. (PTI Photo)

“I congratulate Sonowal on his nomination so that he can contribute towards Assam and northeast’s development from the floor of the parliament as well as a minister of the Union cabinet,” Sarma said after filing of nomination papers.

With the Congress and other opposition parties not naming any candidate for the polls to be held on October 4, Sonowal is expected to win the election uncontested. The last date for filing of nominations is Wednesday.

The present Rajya Sabha seat had fallen vacant after former Bodoland Peoples’ Party (BPF) leader Biswajit Daimary resigned earlier this year and joined the BJP. He later contested as a saffron party candidate in the assembly elections held earlier this year and was elected Speaker of the new assembly.

Sonowal, who had won from the Majuli assembly seat, was inducted as a member of the Union cabinet in July this year. He is expected to resign from his assembly seat after October 4.

“We decided against fielding any candidate for this Rajya Sabha polls as the numbers are not in our favour,” Assam Congress president Bhupen Kumar Borah said on Monday.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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