IMPHAL, January 27: Former minster from Wabagai constituency Haji Abdul Salam has been nominated by the Indian National Congress as its candidate for the Rajya Sabha elections on February 9.
This was informed to the media at a meeting by Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam after the nominee was announced on Monday.
Haji Abdul Salam was born in Heibong Makhong, a village in Mayang Imphal, under Wabagai Assembly Constituency. He now resides in Minuthong, Golapati. He was elected from Wabagai in the state legislature for the first time in 1980 as an independent candidate and joined the INC to support the R.K Dorendra Singh led government. He was elected again in the sixth assembly elections in 1995. He was last elected in the 2002 assembly elections on a congress ticket. He was the Minister of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj from 1997 to 1999 and was also the Minister of Co-operation, Minorities and Other Backward Classes from 2002 to 2004.
Speaking to media persons, Gaikhangam said he was nominated by the high command of All India Congress Committee (AICC) on Sunday after 20 applicants were submitted to AICC from Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) and 11 members of the state Assembly voted for him.
MPCC released 21 prescribe forms and all of them were taken by various applicants, out of which 20 submitted their applications. The present elected candidates of Rajya Sabha will demit office on April 9, 2014, he said.
Saying that there is no cause of concern for the upcoming election as the party is well-prepared and the public also knows the work done by the congress party.
On the security issues of the state, he stated that as compared to the last two-three years there is lots of improvement and steps are being taken to improve it further.
“To make the state better, there is a need for mutual understanding and joining of hands among the people residing in the state and there will be no solution and development in the state if people hold grudges against one another. The infrastructure of the police department will be developed in the coming months, he added.