Former Assam CM Sarbananda Sonowal enters Rajya Sabha uncontested

The Union minister for ports, shipping, waterways and AYUSH had filed his nomination papers on September 21.

Updated on: Sep 27, 2021, 20:47:47 IST

By Utpal Parashar

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Former Assam chief minister and incumbent Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal was elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha on Monday.

Sarbananda Sonowal (second from right) with Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma (first from right) accepting the winner’s certificate for his election to Rajya Sabha on Monday. (Himanta Biswa Sarma/Twitter)

Accompanied by chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, state BJP president Bhabesh Kalita and cabinet minister Pijush Hazarika, Sonowal took the winner’s certificate from the assembly secretariat.

“Hon. union cabinet minister Sarbananda Sonowal ‘dangoriya’ gets elected to the Rajya Sabha uncontested. My heartiest congratulations,” CM Sarma tweeted.

The Union minister for ports, shipping, waterways and AYUSH had filed his nomination papers on September 21. Though voting for the seat was slated on October 4, Sonowal was declared the winner on Monday - the last day of withdrawal of nomination - as there was no other candidate in the fray.

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 candidate from the saffron party and is now the Speaker of the state assembly.

Sonowal, who had won from the Majuli assembly seat, was inducted as a member of the Union cabinet in July. He is yet to resign from his assembly seat.

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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