Rajya Sabha Election 2022: Congress suspends two Assam MLAs for cross-voting, defying party whip

Assam Rajya Sabha Election Results 2022: In an embarrassment for the Congress party, two of its MLAs in Assam violated the party’s whip during the Rajya Sabha elections for two seats in Assam, giving the ruling BJP an edge over the opposition party.

The party suspended its Karimganj South MLA Siddiqu Ahmed for writing ‘ONE’ instead of numeric 1 which led to the cancellation of his vote, another MLA Shashi Kanta Das had already voiced support for the ruling party and today voted for the BJP.

“…Shri Siddique Ahmed, MLA, Karimganj South has deliberately disobeyed the THREE LINE WHIP issued by Shri Wazed Ali Choudhury, Chief Whip, Assam CLP in regard to Rajya Sabha Election held today…..While casting his vote on the ballot paper, he intentionally wrote ONE instead of writing 1. In view of the above, Hon’ble President Assam PCC, Shri Bhupen Kumar Borah has suspended Shri Siddique Ahmed, MLA, Karimganj South from the primary membership of Congress Party with immediate effect for violating party discipline,” said the party in an order issued today.

The Congress party had already written to Assam Speaker Biswajit Daimary on March 21 requesting disqualification of Raha MLA Sashi Kanta Das after he openly supported the BJP. Das today voted for the BJP candidates in the Rajya Sabha polls, thus further diminishing the Congress party’s chances of winning one of the two seats on offer.

The Congress had already accused its former ally AIUDF of “selling their votes” to the BJP. The party claimed that five of the AIUDF MLAs were to vote for the BJP.

The BJP has nominated party leader Pabitra Margherita and Rwngwra Narzary backed by its ally United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) for the two posts while the Congress has fielded Ripun Bora again from the seat.