Imphal, June 5 (IANS) Manipur Chief Minister, N. Biren Singh, on Friday said that the nomination of state BJP President Adhikarimayum Sharda Devi for the June 18 election to the lone Rajya Sabha seat from the state reflects the party’s commitment to empowering women and ensuring greater participation of women in public life and governance.

The Central Election Committee of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday approved the candidature of Adhikarimayum Sharda Devi for the Rajya Sabha election from Manipur as part of the biennial elections to the Upper House of Parliament.

The Rajya Sabha election has been necessitated as the term of the sitting member from Manipur, Maharaja Sanajaoba Leishemba of the BJP, is set to end on June 21.

Expressing his gratitude to the BJP central leadership for nominating Sharda Devi as the party’s candidate for the Rajya Sabha elections, the Chief Minister, in a Facebook post, said: “My heartfelt congratulations to Smt. Adhikarimayum Sharda Devi ji on this significant responsibility. Her nomination reflects the party’s commitment to empowering women and ensuring greater participation of women in public life and governance.”

“I am confident that she will effectively represent the aspirations of the people of Manipur and contribute towards the vision of a Viksit Manipur and Viksit Bharat,” Singh said.

Reacting to her nomination for the Rajya Sabha seat, Sharda Devi said that if elected to the Upper House of Parliament, her foremost priorities would be the restoration of lasting peace in Manipur and the rehabilitation and resettlement of people displaced by the ethnic violence that has affected the state.

“I am deeply humbled and grateful to the BJP leadership, especially Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party President Nitin Nabin, for reposing their faith in me and giving me the opportunity to contest the Rajya Sabha elections from Manipur,” she told the media on Friday.

Senior BJP leader and the state’s Home Minister, Konthoujam Govindas Singh, also congratulated Sharda Devi on being chosen by the party high command as the BJP candidate for the lone Rajya Sabha seat from Manipur.

In a Facebook post, Govindas Singh said: “This nomination is a testament to your dedicated leadership, tireless hard work and unwavering commitment to the progress of our state. We are confident that you will be a strong and effective voice for the people of Manipur in the Upper House. Wishing you grand success in this new responsibility.”

Elections to 24 Rajya Sabha seats across the country, including four from the Northeastern region, will be held on June 18.

The polls are scheduled for seats from Manipur, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Karnataka (four seats), Andhra Pradesh (four seats), Gujarat (four seats), Madhya Pradesh (three seats), Rajasthan (three seats), and Jharkhand (two seats).

–IANS

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