PM files Rajya Sabha nomination from Assam

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh filed his nomination for a fifth consecutive term in the Rajya Sabha here Wednesday.

Congress general secretary Digvijaya Singh, who is in charge of Assam, accompanied the prime minister, whose fourth term in the upper house ends next month.

Manmohan Singh arrived at the Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in the morning and headed straight for the state assembly to file his papers.

There was some trouble with student bodies and political parties hoisting black flags and staging demonstrations for what they said were his failure to bring development to Assam and fulfill his commitments.

Media personnel also staged a protest and shouted slogans outside the assembly premises after they were barred from covering the programme.

The prime minister, however, later came towards the journalists and thanked the people of Assam for continuously electing him to the Rajya Sabha for all these years.

He assured that his effort would be to do all he could for the state's development. He then left for the airport.

The current term of the two Rajya Sabha members representing Assam -- Manmohan Singh and Asom Gana Parishad's (AGP) Kumar Deepak Das -- ends June 14.

Manmohan Singh has been representing Assam in the upper house since 1991 after he became the union finance minister. Then Assam chief minister Hiteswar Saikia had offered him a Rajya Sabha seat that had fallen vacant.

He is expected to win comfortably this time too as the Congress and its allies occupy 94 berths in the 126-member assembly.

According to official sources, May 20 is the last date to file nominations. The scrutiny of nominations will be held the next day. Polls, if necessary, will be held May 30.