Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday was elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan.
Since the BJP did not put up any candidate due to lack of numbers in the assembly, Manmohan Singh was declared elected after the scheduled time to withdraw nominations ended on Monday.
He was a member of the Upper House of Parliament from Assam for almost three decades.
He was a Rajya Sabha member for five consecutive terms from 1991 to 2019.
Singh’s term in Rajya Sabha had ended on June 14 this year after 28 years.
He, however, could not be re-nominated as the Congress party did not have the strength to send him to the Upper House from Assam again.
Chief whip Mahesh Joshi accepted the certificate of election on behalf of the former Prime Minister.
The seat had fallen vacant due to the death of sitting member, BJP state chief Madan Lal Saini.
Chief minister Ashok Gehlot and Assembly speaker CP Joshi congratulated Singh.
“I congratulate former PM Dr #ManmohanSingh ji on being elected unopposed as a member of #RajyaSabha from #Rajasthan.
“Dr Singh’s election is a matter of pride for entire state. His vast knowledge and rich experience would benefit the people of Rajasthan a lot,” Gehlot tweeted.
“Many congratulations to the the world renowned economist Dr Manmohan Singh for being elected unopposed as Rajya Sabha MP,” speaker Joshi said in a tweet.
With Manmohan Singh’s election, the Congress now has one MP from the state.
It had drawn a blank in the April-May Lok Sabha elections.
