GUWAHATI: The BJP on Saturday officially nominated Kanad Purkayastha as its candidate for the upcoming biennial Rajya Sabha elections from Assam.
BJP’s national general secretary Arun Singh issued a notification in this regard.
Elections for two Rajya Sabha seats in Assam will be held on June 19.
Earlier, the BJP, which heads the state’s ruling coalition, announced that it would contest in one seat and leave the other for ally Asom Gana Parishad.
Purkayastha is the secretary of the BJP’s Assam unit and the son of the party’s veteran leader and former Union minister Kabindra Purkayastha.
Kanad expressed gratitude to the BJP leadership for considering his name as a candidate. “This gesture is not just an acknowledgement of my dedication and service to the party, but also a reaffirmation of the values we uphold—commitment, integrity, and selfless service,” he wrote on Facebook.
Stating that Assam is not just his home but also his inspiration and strength, he said to be considered for such a significant responsibility was both a great honour and a humbling moment in his journey.
“I remain ever committed to the ideals of our party and to the progress and unity of our beloved state and nation. My sincere gratitude to my party leaders, Himanta Biswa Sarma ji, our state president, Dilip Saikia ji and all karyakartas for their blessings and good wishes,” he further wrote.
Saikia expressed gratitude to the BJP’s central leadership for selecting Kanad as party’s Rajya Sabha nominee.
“Kanad Purkayastha has long served the party in various capacities and, as a member of an ideologically committed family since childhood, has consistently worked with devotion. As the son of the party’s highly respected guide and veteran leader Kabindra Purkayastha, Kanad is expected to strongly represent the aspirations of the people of Assam and uphold the principles and vision of the BJP in the Upper House of Parliament,” Saikia said.