The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has nominated former chief minister of Assam, Sarbananda Sonowal and minister of state L Murugan for the upcoming Rajya Sabha by-election on October 4.
Sarbananda Sonowal and L. Murugan will be the party’s nominees
Sarbananda Sonowal is the Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways in the Union Ministry and L. Murugan is the Minister of State in the Information and Broadcasting Ministry. While Sonowal will be nominated for the seat that has fallen vacant from Assam, Murugan will be the party’s nominee for the vacancy in Madhya Pradesh.
Both leaders need to be elected to the Rajya Sabha in order to continue their current roles in the government. The BJP with 94 members is currently the single largest party in the upper house.
Why did the vacancy arise?
The vacancy in Madhya Pradesh rised as BJP’s Thawar Chand Gehlot was elevated as the Governor of Karnataka. Gehlot was the minister for social justice and empowerment and leader of the house.
In Assam, the vacancy arose after BJP member Biswajit Daimary resigned from the Upper house. Daimary is now the Speaker of the assembly in Assam.
The vacant seats from various states
The Election Commission announced by polls to seven vacant seats on September 9, to be elected in the Rajya Sabha on October 4. Among the seats Two are from Tamil Nadu and one each from Assam, West Bengal, Puducherry, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra are vacant.
