Chhattisgarh: Congress renominates tribal leader Phulo Devi Netam for RS polls

The Opposition Congress in Chhattisgarh has renominated senior tribal leader Phulo Devi Netam, an incumbent Rajya Sabha member, as its candidate for the March 16 biennial Rajya Sabha elections.

The party announced Netam’s candidature on Wednesday night.

Of the five Rajya Sabha members from the state, the terms of Netam and Kavi Tejpal Singh Tulsi, both from the Congress, are set to expire on April 9, and elections are being held to fill the twin vacancies.

The other Rajya Sabha members from the state are Ranjeet Ranjan and Rajiv Shukla of the Congress, and Devendra Pratap Singh of the BJP.

Netam (54) has been picked by the party for a second consecutive term. The tribal leader, who hails from Kondagaon district in Bastar region, was first elected as a legislator in 1998 in the undivided Madhya Pradesh assembly.

After the formation of Chhattisgarh in 2000, she was a member of the state’s first legislative assembly.

Netam is also the president of Chhattisgarh Pradesh Mahila Congress Committee since 2016. She has held several important positions in the party and public life.

Former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel congratulated Netam and expressed confidence that she would continue to raise issues of public interest in the Upper House of Parliament.

In a social media post, Baghel said, “Heartiest congratulations and best wishes to Bastar’s daughter, an energetic leader, president of the Chhattisgarh Mahila Congress and Rajya Sabha MP Phulo Devi Netam on being renominated for the Rajya Sabha elections by the All India Congress Committee.

“We are confident that you will continue to strongly raise issues of public interest in the Upper House of Parliament and fight decisively for the people, as you have done earlier.” The BJP has fielded senior leader Laxmi Verma as its candidate for the polls to the Upper House of Parliament.

Both candidates will file their papers on Thursday, the last day for submitting nominations.

The electoral college for Rajya Sabha polls consists of the elected members of state assemblies.

In the 90-member Chhattisgarh assembly, the BJP has 54 MLAs, followed by the Congress (35) and the Gondwana Gantantra Party (1). As per their strength in the House, the BJP and the Congress can win one Rajya Sabha seat each.

Scrutiny of nomination papers will take place on March 6, while candidates can withdraw their nominations till March 9. Polling will be held on March 16 between 9 am and 4 pm, and counting will begin at 5 pm the same day.

Voting will be conducted through ballot papers.