india

Updated: Aug 13, 2019 15:06 IST

Former prime minister and veteran Congress leader Manmohan Singh on Tuesday filed nomination papers for a Rajya Sabha seat in Rajasthan.

Singh, earlier a Rajya Sabha member from Assam, was accompanied by Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, deputy CM Sachin Pilot and party’s other senior leaders in the state. The seat from Rajasthan fell vacant due to the death of BJP’s Madan Lal Saini in June.

Addressing newspersons after filing his nomination, Singh (87) said, “I am very grateful to the Congress party, CM Ashok Gehlot, deputy CM Sachin Pilot and other members of the house, who have nominated me. Same time, I recognise that there are sad circumstances in which the vacancy has come. I convey my heartfelt condolences to Saini family.”

On the demand for special status to Rajasthan, he replied, “ I will do whatever possible to promote the cause of people of Rajasthan.”

Other than Congress MLAs, Singh’s nomination was supported by BSP MLAs and majority of the Independent MLAs, who were also present .

Dr Manmohan Singh’s long stint in the Rajya Sabha started in 1991 when he was elected from Assam, soon after then prime minister PV Narasimha Rao inducted him to his cabinet to steer the economy. Manmohan Singh’s association with the Rajya Sabha continued for four more terms, two of them as the country’s prime minister.

When his term ended in June, the Congress didn’t field any candidates because of its depleted strength in the Assam assembly after the state elections in 2016. The Congress had only 25 legislators in the 126-member assembly.