Congress claims cross-voting by AIUDF in Assam Rajya Sabha polls

By PTI

GUWAHATI: The Congress on Saturday alleged that the AIUDF indulged in cross-voting within the recently-held Rajya Sabha election in Assam and forged their vote in favour of the ruling BJP-led alliance’s candidates, ensuing within the defeat of the Opposition’s joint nominee.

Leader of Opposition Debabrata Saikia, addressing a press convention right here, stated, “We want to clarify that out of 27 Congress MLAs, 25 voted for our joint candidate. One vote was disqualified while another one voted for the ruling alliance’s candidate.”

The disqualified vote was from Siddique Ahmed and the opposite was from Sashi Kanta Das, who had already declared that he would assist the ruling alliance’s candidates.

Both MLAs have been suspended from the Congress.

Election for 2 Rajya Sabha seats from Assam was held on Thursday with the ruling alliance’s candidates, Pabitra Margherita and Rwngra Narzary, rising winners towards outgoing MP and the Opposition’s joint nominee Ripun Bora.

Margherita polled 46 votes and Narzary 44, whereas Bora managed simply 35 votes.

All 126 members of the Assembly had voted, with one vote being disqualified.

Saikia claimed that each one the remaining 25 Congress MLAs voted for Bora as did the lone CPI(M) MLA and Independent legislator, accounting for whole 27 out of 35 votes that Bora acquired.

“The party that had assured of 15 votes gave only eight in our favour and the rest went elsewhere,” he stated, apparently referring to the AIUDF which has 15 members within the House and had introduced its assist for Bora’s candidature.

Saikia additionally pointed that the Congress has moved a breach of privilege movement within the state Assembly over BJP legislators’ purported remarks inside in addition to outdoors the House that Congress MLAs had voted for the ruling alliance’s candidates.

“The Speaker has assured us of looking into it,” he added.

The senior Congress chief questioned the AIUDF naming its agent for the election with out consulting the opposite events within the Opposition camp.

“They mysteriously announced their polling agent without even informing us. Why they did it is a riddle to me,” he stated.

Saikia maintained that the Congress’ agent for the polls, Prithviraj Sathe, was named by the occasion’s central management, which was authorised by the state’s legislature occasion to appoint the polling agent.