BJP nominates Union Ministers Sonowal & Murugan for Rajya Sabha by-elections

Union Minister and former Chief Minister of Assam, Sarbananda Sonowal and L Murugan, are the nominees for the Rajya Sabha by-elections from Assam and Madhya Pradesh respectively.

Both the ministers had been incorporated in July into the Union Council of Ministers, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi had gone in for a major overhaul of his cabinet.

The Election Commission had earlier announced that it will hold by-elections on October 4 in five states such as West Bengal, Assam, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu.

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While elections will be held for two seats in Tamil Nadu following the resignation of K P Munusamy and R Vaithilingam, the other five states have one vacant seat that needs to be filled. The resignation of Manas Ranjan Bhunia in West Bengal, Biswajit Daimary in Assam and Thaawarchand Gehlot in Madhya Pradesh had led to these seats falling vacant, said an Indian Express report.

In the case of Maharashtra, the death of Rajeev Satav on May 16 due to post-COVID complications had led to the vacant seat.

Polling to the Upper House’s Puducherry membership would be conducted on October 4 as well, the EC had said.