Abdul Salam elected RS MP
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, January 31 2014 : INC nominee Haji Abdul Salam was today elected the next Rajya Sabha MP of Manipur by the Returning Officer.

He would succeed sitting MP Rishang Keishing who will retire on April 9 this year.

Notably, Abdul Salam would be the 16th Rajya Sabha MP of Manipur.

Abdul Salam being the only candidate for the Rajya Sabha MP poll and ruling out any question of withdrawing his nomination papers till 3 pm today which was the last hour for withdrawing nomination papers, the Returning Officer duly announced that Abdul Salam has been elected the next Rajya Sabha MP.

Later, Returning Officer and Manipur Legislative Assembly Secretary Y Indira gave the certificate of victory to Abdul Salam.

Abdul Salam, now 66 years old, hails from Heibong Makhong village located within Wabagai Assembly Constituency, Thoubal district.

He is presently staying at Hatta Golapati.

Abdul Salam being presented certificate of victory

Abdul Salam was elected to the State Assembly thrice and held different ministerial posts.

He was once not only AICC member but also held the post of MPCC vice-president.

Abdul Salam's home constituency is one of the seven Assembly segments of Thoubal district whose residents can cast votes but cannot contest the election for Outer Manipur Parliamentary Constituency.

Abdul Salam is the first Muslim MP from Manipur.

After receiving the certificate of victory, Haji Abdul Salam, speaking to media persons at Assembly Secretariat, said that whatever works expected from him would be done in consultation with the Chief Minister and other leaders of the party.

He listed expedition of Jiribam-Imphal railway project and development work of Imphal-Jiribam highway as his foremost priorities.

Mere correspondence between New Delhi and Imphal is not enough.

One need to be present at Delhi and urge relevant authorities every now and then to see that the railway project and the highway development work are completed without undue delay, stated the newly elected MP.

Abdul Salam further stated that he would lobby with the relevant authorities to ensure that the seven Assembly segments of Thoubal and Jiribam whose residents cannot contest the Lok Sabha poll in Outer Manipur PC are not left out of the next delimitation exercise.

Noting that a committee has been demanding since a long time back to increase the number of Manipur's Lok Sabha seats to three at the rate of 20 Assembly segments for each Lok Sabha seat, Abdul Salam assured that he would check and see if there is anything he can do on the demand.