The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday announced Adhikarimayum (A.) Sarda Devi as its candidate for the upcoming Rajya Sabha election from Manipur, setting the stage for the contest scheduled later this month. Sarda Devi filed her nomination papers at the Manipur Legislative Assembly Secretariat on June 8, the last day for submission of nominations as per the Election Commission’s schedule. She submitted the papers before the Returning Officer in the presence of Chief Minister Y. Khemchand Singh, BJP legislators and senior leaders of the party.
The nomination marks another important step in Sarda Devi’s political journey. She had earlier made history by becoming the first woman president of the BJP’s Manipur unit. Her candidature for the Rajya Sabha now places her in contention for a seat in the Upper House of Parliament. According to the election schedule issued by the Election Commission, scrutiny of nomination papers will be carried out on June 9, while candidates will have the option to withdraw their nominations until June 11. Polling, if required, will be held on June 18 between 9 am and 4 pm. Counting of votes is scheduled to begin at 5 pm on the same day.
The Rajya Sabha elections on June 18 will also be conducted in several other states, including Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Rajasthan. Political observers expect the BJP to retain the Manipur Rajya Sabha seat, given its numerical strength and influence in the state assembly. The party’s decision to field Sarda Devi is being seen as a significant move that highlights the growing role of women in leadership positions within the organisation.
