The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has nominated former chief minister of Assam, Sarbananda Sonowal and minister of state for information and broadcasting, L Murugan as its nominees for the Rajya Sabha by-election scheduled for October 4.
While Sonowal, who is the incumbent Union minister for ports, shipping and waterways, will be the nominee for the seat that has fallen vacant from Assam, Murugan will be the party’s nominee for the vacancy that has arisen in Madhya Pradesh. The BJP with 94 members is currently the single largest party in the upper house.
The vacancy in Madhya Pradesh arose on account of BJP’s Thawar Chand Gehlot being elevated as the Governor of Karnataka. Gehlot was also the Leader of the House and the minister for social justice and empowerment.
In Assam, the bypoll was necessitated after BJP member Biswajit Daimary resigned from the Upper house. Daimary is now the Speaker of the assembly in Assam.