BJP announces Assam's Kanad Purkayastha as Rajya Sabha poll candidate

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on June 7 announced the party's Assam state secretary, Kanad Purkayastha, as its candidate for the Rajya Sabha election from the state.

A release said the party's central election committee has approved the candidature of Purkayastha.

A party leader from Barak valley, Purkayastha is the son of veteran BJP leader and former Union minister Kabindra Purkayastha.

Elections for two Rajya Sabha seats in Assam are scheduled on June 19, with counting of votes to take place the same day.

The BJP had earlier announced that it will field a candidate for one of the seats, leaving the other for its ally Asom Gana Parishad (AGP).

The two seats that are being vacated were held by BJP and AGP.