PM files nomination papers for fifth Rajya Sabha term

Mangalore Today/DHNS

Guwahati, May 15: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today filed his nomination papers for his fifth Rajya Sabha term from Assam.

Singh, 80, submitted his papers before the Legislative Assembly Secretary G P Das in the Assembly premises.

 

The Prime Minister’s Upper House term expires on June 14 and polls for two Rajya Sabha seats from Assam will be held on May 30.

The notification for the elections was issued on Monday and the last date of filing nominations was May 20.

Prior to filing his nomination, he presided over a meeting of Congress Legislature Party in the Assembly.

Singh was accompanied by Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, Assam Pradesh Congress President Bhubaneswar Kalita and ministers Pradyut Bordoloi, Rakibul Hussain, Neelmani Sen Deka and Himanta Biswa Sarma.

A protest was held by media persons outside the Assembly for not being allowed to enter the premises to cover the event.

As the media persons were protesting outside the Assembly gate, AICC General Secretary Digvijay Singh, Kalita, the Chief Minister and several ministers came out to pacify them and asked them to go inside the premises as the Prime Minister had agreed to meet them.

The media personnel, however, refused to enter the gate following which the Prime Minister came out to address them. But as he began to speak, there was slogan-shouting and protests by them. Singh then left for the airport.