Assam NDA candidates secure two Rajya Sabha seats unopposed

Two NDA candidates from Assam - BJP's Kanad Purkayastha and Asom Gana Parishad's Birendra Prasad Baishya, have been elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha from Assam.

The opposition parties did not field any candidate for the Rajya Sabha elections, he said.

The last date for filing of nomination was Thursday.

"BJP's Kanad Purkayastha and Asom Gana Parishad's Birendra Prasad Baishya have been declared elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha as there is no opposition candidate," the official said.

The elections to the two Rajya Sabha seats were scheduled for June 19.

Purkayastha will make his debut as a parliamentarian after winning the Rajya Sabha seat.

He is the son of veteran BJP leader and former union minister Kabindra Purkayastha and hails from Silchar.

Kanad Purkayastha is now the BJP's state unit secretary.

Baishya, the veteran AGP leader and former union minister, will be a member of the Upper House of Parliament for the third time and has also served a term in the Lok Sabha.

Elections to two Rajya Sabha seats in Assam were necessitated with the terms of Baishya and BJP's Ranjan Das ending on Jun 14.

Assam has seven seats in the Rajya Sabha, with four held by the BJP, and one each by its allies AGP and UPPL.

One seat is represented by an independent MP.