Guwahati, Jun 13 (PTI) Two NDA candidates, BJP's Kanad Purkayastha and Asom Gana Parishad's Birendra Prasad Baishya, have been elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha from Assam, an official announced on Friday. The opposition parties did not nominate any candidate for the Rajya Sabha elections, the official stated. The last date for filing nominations 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 for the two Rajya Sabha seats were initially scheduled for June 19. Purkayastha will be making his debut as a parliamentarian with this victory in the Rajya Sabha. He is the son of veteran BJP leader and former union minister Kabindra Purkayastha, and hails from Silchar. Kanad Purkayastha currently holds the position of BJP's state unit secretary.
Baishya, a veteran AGP leader and former union minister, will enter the Upper House of Parliament for the third time. He has also previously served a term in the Lok Sabha. Elections for the two Rajya Sabha seats in Assam became necessary as the terms of Baishya and BJP's Ranjan Das conclude on Jun 14.
Assam holds seven Rajya Sabha seats, of which four are with the BJP and one each with its allies, AGP and UPPL. One seat is represented by an independent MP.
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