Guwahati, Feb 18 (PTI) All three nomination papers filed for the by-election to Assam's Majuli (Scheduled Tribe) constituency were found valid after scrutiny on Friday, an official statement said.

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The bypoll will be held on March 7.

The ruling BJP-led alliance has fielded Bhuban Gam for the seat, while the opposition Assam Jatiya Parishad's (AJP) nominee is Chittaranjan Basumatary.

The third candidate is Bhaity Richong of the SUCI(C).

The main opposition party Congress had decided not to contest and leave the seat for the AJP in a bid to unite the anti-BJP forces.

The last date for withdrawal of nomination papers is February 21 and counting of votes is slated for March 10.

The election to the constituency was necessitated following the resignation of Union Minister for Shipping, Ports and Aysuh Sarbananda Sonowal following his election to the Rajya Sabha in September last year.

Sonowal, a former chief minister, was elected to the assembly from Majuli constituency for two consecutive terms in 2016 and 2021.

Majuli is the world's largest river island and it got the status of a district when Sonowal was the Assam chief minister.

The 126-member Assam legislative assembly currently comprises 78 members of the ruling alliance with the BJP having 62 members, and its allies AGP and UPPL having nine and seven MLAs respectively.

The Congress has 27 MLAs, AIUDF 15, BPF three, CPI(M) one and an independent member. PTI SSG

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)