Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Monday was declared elected to the Rajya Sabha from Assam uncontested as no other candidate filed nomination papers for the seat.
Sonowal collected the winner’s certificate on Monday from the Assam Assembly Secretariat at Dispur in presence of Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, State BJP president Bhabesh Kalita, water resources minister Pijush Haarika.
Sonowal thanked all the members of the Assembly and the people of the state.
The former Assam chief minister filed nomination papers for Rajya Sabha on September 21, 2021.
In 2016, Union minister for shipping, ports, waterways and Ayush, Sonowal won the Assembly election from Majuli constituency and became the chief minister.
After the BJP-led alliance came to power in Assam this year, the party high command announced Himanta Biswa Sarma, who served as the finance & health minister during the Sonowal regime, as the chief minister.
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As Sarma became the chief minister of Assam, Sonowal was made a Cabinet minister in Narendra Modi ministry.
Sonowal has been given the portfolios of shipping, ports, waterways and Ayush.
But Sonowal was needed to be elected to the Rajya Sabha in order to continue his current role in the central government.
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The Rajya Sabha by-poll in Assam was slated for October 4, 2021 but as there was no other candidate, fielded by any party, Sonowal was declared the winner of the Rajya Sabha by-poll
The Rajya Sabha by-poll in Assam was necessitated after BJP member Biswajit Daimary resigned from the Upper House.