Assam Congress Faces Setback In Jalukbari As Candidate’s Nomination Rejected Against Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma
The election commission of India said that the nomination of Congress nominee Bidisha Neog from Jalukbari was among three Congress nominations rejected.
Guwahati: In what has triggered a major controversy, the nomination of three Congress candidates, including that of the Jalukbari seat where chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is contesting for the Assam assembly elections, has been cancelled by the returning officer on various technical grounds after scrutiny on Tuesday.
The election commission of India said that the nomination of Congress nominee Bidisha Neog from Jalukbari was among three Congress nominations rejected. The other rejected candidates include Ananda Narah from Dhakuakhana and Nirmal Langthasa from Haflong.
Altogether 18 nomination papers have been cancelled so far. The process of scrutinising nomination papers, however, is not yet complete.
The Dhakuakhana seat is currently held by former minister Naba Kumar Doley of the BJP. For Haflong, BJP cabinet minister Nandita Garlosa’s candidature as Congress nominee has been accepted. Ms Garlosa had joined the opposition party on Sunday night and filed her nomination papers the very next day.
The reasons for the rejection have not been cited on the ECI website. Among others whose nominations have been rejected so far are three candidates each of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha and Voters Party International, one each of SUCI (Communist) and Apni Janta Party, and eight Independents.
A total of 1389 nomination papers were submitted by over 815 candidates for the 126-member state Assembly, with several nominees filing more than one set of papers. Elections will be held on April 9 and votes counted on May 4. The last date for withdrawal of candidature is March 26.