Imphal, March 13: Stumping political pundits and keen observers, AICC president Sonia Gandhi today named former Chief Minister and Rajya Sabha MP, Rishang Keishing as the party's candidate for the forthcoming biennial elections to the Upper House of Parliament.

Election to the Rajya Sabha is scheduled to be held on March 26 and before the latest development, Keishing's name did not figure among the probables to make it to the Rajya Sabha for a second consecutive term.

What has added an element of surprise in the latest development is the fact that Rishang did not take the nomination form from the State Congress.

The announcement of the AICC, a release of which was sent to the press here today, has obviously disappointed a number of veteran Congress men and women who had earlier taken the nomination form and were lobbying to be named as the party's candidate.

Amongst the notable Congress members who had taken the nomination papers are former Minister C Doungel, former Rajya Sabha MP W Angou, vice president of the MPCC AK Mirabai Devi, former Minister Dr Chaltonlien Amo, former Minister Francis Ngajokpa, former Minister Abdul Salam et al.

Altogether 18 were vying to be named as the Cong candidate for the Rajya Sabha seat.

With the Opposition unlikely to field a candidate, the election of Rishang Keishing to the Rajya Sabha is almost assured and it is significant that the Congress alone commands a majority of 31 in the 60 member Assembly.

If there is no cross voting, Rishang can make it to the Rajya Sabha even without the support of the Left party which is a partner in the SPF Government.

Rishang was first nominated to the Rajya Sabha after the Congress stormed back to power in 2002 in the election to the 7th Assembly.

He had contested the Assembly election from Phungyar AC but narrowly lost to Wungnaoshang Keishing in the 2002 election.

A veteran, Rishang was first elected to the Lok Sabha in the 1952 general election from Outer Manipur Lok Sabha Constituency and he was re-elected to the Lower House again in 1962. In 1972 he was elected as a member of the Manipur State Legislative Assembly from Phungyar AC and again returned in the mid-election held in 1974. He was inducted in the Cabinet and served as the Finance Minister, Education Minister, Tribal Welfare Minister and Transport and Forest from 1974 to 1977. Re-elected again in 1980, he was inducted as the Deputy Chief Minister and later became the Chief Minister of the State from November 27, 1980 to January 4, 1985. Widely regarded for his political acumen, Rishang also has the distinction of being the longest serving Chief Minister of the State.

He attained another unique position when he was the only Opposition member in the Assembly, when Radhabinod Koijam became the Chief Minister in 2001. The other Congress candidates announced by the AICC today were T Subburami Reddy and Nandi Yelliah (Andhra Pradesh), Mukut Mithi (Arunachal Pradesh), Bhubaneswar Kalita (Assam), Motilal Vohra (Chhatisgarh), Dr Ram Prakash (Haryana), Chavan Prithiviraj Dajisahed and Murli Deora Sitaram (Maharastra), RC Khuntia (Orissa), GK Vasan (Tamil Nadu).

Earlier according to a release issued by the State Chief Electoral Officer, the last date for filing nomination is March 15 while the date for scrutiny is fixed on March 17. The last date for withdrawal of candidatures is scheduled on March 19 and election if needed is to be held on March 26.

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