
AGP announces Birendra Prasad Baishya as party candidate from Assam for upcoming RS polls
Guwahati (Assam) [India], June 8 (ANI): The Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) announced Birendra Prasad Baishya as its candidate for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections from Assam.
Baishya is currently serving as a member of the Rajya Sabha, with his tenure set to expire on June 14.
Earlier this week, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday announced the schedule for conducting biennial elections in eight Rajya Sabha seats, six from Tamil Nadu and two from Assam.
On Saturday, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) named Kanad Purkayastha, son of former Union Minister and Assam State BJP co-founder Kabindra Purkayastha, as its candidate for the Rajya Sabha election in the state.
The two upper house members from Assam, Mission Ranjan Das (BJP) and Birendra Prasad Baishya (Asom Gana Parishad), are set to retire on June 14.
According to ECI, the elections for the Rajya Sabha seats will be held on June 19 between 9 AM and 4 PM. Counting of votes will be conducted on the same day.
In Tamil Nadu, Anbumani Ramadoss (Pattali Makkal Katchi), M Shanmugam (DMK), N Chandrasegharan (AIADMK), M Mohamed Abdulla (DMK), P Wilson (DMK), and Vaiko (MDMK) are set to retire on July 24.
Earlier, Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) Chief Kamal Haasan filed his nomination for the Rajya Sabha from Tamil Nadu in the presence of Chief Minister MK Stalin.
Meanwhile, BJP leader H Raja criticised MNM President Kamal Haasan, saying that the actor-turned-politician has 'mortgaged' his party to the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in exchange for a Rajya Sabha seat.
'Everyone knows what Kamal Haasan did in the past. He opposed the DMK's freebies and corrupt rule. He even said he would never form an alliance with the DMK. Now, out of embarrassment, he has mortgaged his torchlight election symbol to the DMK in exchange for a Rajya Sabha seat. It is a waste of time to talk about him,' Raja said.
In the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly, each candidate requires a minimum of 34 votes to clinch a Rajya Sabha seat. The DMK-led INDIA bloc, with 158 MLAs (DMK: 133, Congress: 17, VCK: 4, CPI: 2, CPM: 2), is poised to win four seats comfortably. (ANI)

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Hans India
24 minutes ago
- Hans India
If my voice brought India's issues to forefront, that's my service to nation: Priyanka Chaturvedi
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi has strongly defended India's recent global anti-terror outreach mission across Europe, calling it both timely and necessary to expose the global threat posed by Pakistan-backed terrorism. Chaturvedi was part of the high-level All-Party Parliamentary Delegation led by BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad under 'Operation Sindoor Outreach,' which presented India's firm stance against cross-border terrorism and garnered international support. Reflecting on the trip, Chaturvedi said the delegation had a clear mission: 'That was my responsibility. And if my speeches have influenced people and brought the country's issues to the forefront, I consider it my service to the nation.' She added, 'I hope that in near future, the European nations, because my group toured six countries—will understand that the terrorism we have been enduring for decades is now reaching their homes.' The delegation visited France, Italy, Denmark, the UK, Belgium, and Germany. During the tour, Indian MPs met foreign lawmakers, think tanks, and diaspora groups to raise awareness about radicalization and safe havens for terror groups operating from Pakistan. Chaturvedi highlighted the growing threat of radicalisation abroad, saying: 'The way indoctrination and radicalization are taking place, and everyone's wires are connected to Pakistan, whether it's Al-Qaeda, Jaish-e-Mohammed, or Lashkar-e-Taiba, everyone lives in safe houses there. They are protected.' She emphasised that, 'It was a successful trip where we were able to keep the country's interests safe.' Responding to political criticism that sending delegations abroad was a waste of public money, Chaturvedi hit back: 'Many leaders are saying that sending foreign delegations was a waste of money and time. I hope they will take a debriefing from their own party members who were also part of these delegations, ask them what was discussed, how it was said, and what their role was.' When asked about her passionate speeches and even mimicry of Pakistani political figures like Hina Rabbani Khar or Bilawal Bhutto (referred to as "Minamal Bhutto" in some circles), Chaturvedi firmly rooted her motivation in personal experience. 'After 26/11, the terrorist attack in Mumbai, I was deeply affected and came into politics. I know how many homes are destroyed because of terrorism. How many women struggle to manage households. Terrorism tries to destroy businesses and the country's stability.' The Operation Sindoor Outreach initiative helped India draw sharper international attention to terrorism and its sources like Pakistan, and has provided a unified national narrative on the global stage.


Hans India
25 minutes ago
- Hans India
BJP leaders highlight Modi's 11-year governance
Ongole: A workshop focusing on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 11 years of governance, service, welfare of poor, and environmental protection, was conducted at Indira Priyadarshini Law College in Ongole on Saturday. BJP State official spokesperson Sadineni Yamini Sharma served as the chief guest for the event. As part of World Environment Day celebrations, the programme commenced with sapling plantation activities in the law college premises. Speaking at the gathering, Yamini Sharma explained to party members how Prime Minister Modi is advancing numerous development programmes with Antyodaya spirit, guided by the motto 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas' toward achieving the goal of Viksit Bharat. Party district president Seggem Srinivasa Rao addressed the audience about various programmes outlined by the State BJP. He detailed upcoming observances including International Yoga Day on June 21, Balidan Day of party founder-president Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee on June 23, and 50th anniversary of the Emergency declared in 1975 on June 25, which he described as a dark day for India. He urged party members to take these programs to the grassroots level. District in-charge Ravishankar spoke about Prime Minister Modi's governance achievements during his address to the gathering. Several BJP leaders, including former district president PV Sivareddy, State executive committee member Dr Kommi Narasinga Rao, district general secretaries Sivaji Yadav, N Srinivasareddy, M Amarasimham, K Nageswarrao, D Srinivasa Rao, K Vasu, and other party functionaries, participated in the programme.


India.com
29 minutes ago
- India.com
Pakistan Like Emperor That Has No Clothes: BJP MP Baijayant Panda
New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Lok Sabha MP Baijayant Panda, who led an all-party parliamentary delegation in four countries, on Thursday cornered Pakistan over the Islamic nation's continous support to terrorism. Panda labelled Pakistan as "an emperor that has no clothes". The delegation led by Panda visited Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Algeria. It included members Nishikant Dubey (BJP), Phangnon Konyak (BJP), Rekha Sharma (BJP), Asaduddin Owaisi (All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen), Satnam Singh Sandhu, Ghulam Nabi Azad, and Harsh Shringla. "Pakistan is like the emperor that has no clothes. It's pretty shameless, but everybody knows what it is," Panda said in an interview with India Today. The delegations were sent to 33 countries following Operation Sindoor against terror sites located in Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. The Operation Sindoor was launched on May 6-7 to avenge the killings of 26 civilians by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam on April 22. Talking about the countries visited by the parliamentary delegation and their bilateral relationship with Pakistan, Panda informed that even though these are Islamic nations, their paths are not the same as that of Pakistan since all four countries, including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Algeria, have taken "strong" action against "jihadism". Contrary to actions taken by these countries, the BJP MP said, Pakistan has gone in the opposite direction, encouraging jihadis and fundamentalist elements. "Keep in mind that over the last couple of decades, you know, these are all Islamic countries, but their path and Pakistan's path have diverged quite a bit. All these four countries have taken very strong actions against jihadism and Salafist elements, and they have rubbed them out from operating on their soil," Panda said. "Pakistan has gone in the opposite direction. It continues to encourage jihadis and fundamentalist elements. This is why there is a divergence in their relationship with Pakistan," he added. Highlighting the financial assistance provided to Pakistan by these countries, Panda argued that they have witnessed the aid being misused. He said that Pakistan has used the aid to finance terrorism instead of working for development. "Some of these countries have helped Pakistan financially in the past years, and they have seen that the aid has been misused. Now, these countries have developed their schools, roads, colleges and hospitals. But Pakistan has taken their money and, instead of using it for the same purpose, has used it to finance terrorism," he said, adding, "These are things that they are very unhappy about, and they did make it very clear to us that they stand with us." Furthermore, Panda said that the four Islamic nations perceive India and Pakistan in entirely different ways, categorising the neighbouring country as a "problem child" who abstains from becoming normal and has "misused the support".