Congmen elected to RS

Sylvious Condopan and Syeda Anowara Taimaur won two RS seats from Assam defeating opposition AGP and independent candidates.

Congress candidates, Sylvious Condopan and Syeda Anowara Taimaur won the two Rajya Sabha seats from Assam defeating opposition AGP and independent candidates, Returning Officer and Secretary of the Assembly B C Das said this evening.

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First preference candidate, tea tribe leader Sylvious Condopan bagged 43 votes, while second preference candidate, former chief minister Taimur totalled 40 votes.

Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) contestant and former union minister Biren Baishaya garnered 39 votes, while independent and businessman Mahavir Jain polled two votes.

Two votes from Condopan's total 45 were added to Taimur's 38 ballots raising her tally to 40 and thereby being declared victorious over Baishaya.

Despite Chief Whip of the AGP Legislature Party Hiten Goswami issuing a whip to all party MLAs to cast their votes for the party nominee and not to cast their second preference vote, its two legislators Abdul Jabbar and Ali Akbar Mia remained absent.

Altogether 123 legislators cast their ballot with one vote rejected in the 125-member state assembly. Two were absent, while one seat was vacant following the death of Congress minister Rupam Kurmi.

Election to the two seats to the Upper House was necessitated following the completion of the terms of CPI member Dhrupad Borgohain and AGP member Dr Arun Sarma.