RS polls in Assam: Can Congress maintain its flock collectively?

Express News Service

GUWAHATI: The March 31 elections to 2 Rajya Sabha seats in Assam will likely be a problem for the weakened Congress to maintain its flock collectively.

It is contesting in a single seat and backed by the minority-based All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF). BJP and its ally United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) – each parts of the state’s ruling coalition – are contesting in a single seat every. The ruling facet has the help of Asom Gana Parishad and Bodoland People’s Front.

The Congress requires the votes of 42 MLAs and it claims to have 44 MLAs on its facet. Two of them are, nevertheless, beneath suspension. Of the 2, one – Sashi Kanta Das – stated the long run is all the time unsure and he could possibly be sick on the day of elections.

The BJP-UPPL mix has the votes of 82 MLAs – two in need of the required quantity to win each seats. If there isn’t a cross-voting, BJP and Congress will win one seat every. However, some statements and actions of the ruling facet elevated Congress’ worries.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma visited the home of Das lately, a lot to the chagrin of the Congress. Das is kind of with the BJP.

Despite not having the required numbers, Sarma had asserted the ruling coalition would win each seats. But the Congress slammed him in addition to Assembly Speaker Biswajit Daimary for his or her alleged makes an attempt to resort to horse-trading.

On a couple of event, Daimary stated MLAs don’t get disqualified for cross-voting – an announcement criticised by Pradesh Congress chief Bhupen Kumar Borah.

“Biswajit Daimary has insulted the Speaker’s chair. We have received complaints from our MLAs that he is inciting them for cross-voting,” Borah alleged.

Another state Congress chief Rituparno Konwar stated Daimary’s motion didn’t behove of the Speaker.

“It is unfortunate that he insulted a constitutional post. A Speaker should be unbiased. He or she should not behave like an agent of the Chief Minister or any party. He is the guardian of the Assembly and he should behave responsibly,” the Congress chief stated.

Given Sarma’s political acumen in dealing with such conditions, there’s a notion that some MLAs of the Opposition may get influenced by the BJP. However, the Congress claimed its MLAs had been intact.

“None of our MLAs will vote for the candidates of ruling parties,” Konwar stated.

The AIUDF stated it will subject a three-line whip to its MLAs to vote in favour of the Congress candidate Ripun Bora, who’s in search of re-election. Pabitra Margherita and Rwngwra Narzary are the candidates of BJP and UPPL respectively.