Prime Minister Manmohan Singh filed his nomination papers in the Assam
assembly on Wednesday afternoon for a fifth straight Rajya Sabha term
from the state. His fourth term ends on June 14.
His visit was
marked by a series of protests as members of students’ organisations and
political parties showed black flag and staged sit-ins seeking reasons
for his ‘step-motherly treatment’ to
the state.
Singh has been representing Assam in the Upper
House since 1991 after he became the Union finance minister. Former
chief minister Hiteswar Saikia offered him a Rajya Sabha seat that had
fallen vacant and even made Singh a tenant to justify his nomination.
“I hav
e been representing Assam in the Rajya Sabha for the last 21 years,
and I cannot be grateful enough to the people of the state. I shall
endeavour to ensure all-round development for Assam,” he said after
emerging from the assembly.
Singh is expected to win the seat
comfortably with the Congress and its allies occupying 94 berths in the
126-member assembly. The Congress candidate, preferably one from the
Adivasi community, is also likely to win the second seat as the combined
strength of the opposition is 32.
The opposition has failed to
come up with a consensus candidate with the pro-Muslim All India United
Democratic Front (18 MLAs) differing ideologically with the Asom Gana
Parishad (nine) and the BJP (five).
The last date of withdrawing nomination is May 20 and the elections, if necessary, will be on May 30.
