The Congress has decided to renominate Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Ambika Soni in the Rajya Sabha elections. Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has decided to nominate Balwinder Singh Bhunder. This will the fourth term for Soni as a Rajya Sabha member. She was first elected to Rajya Sabha in 1976 and then in 2000 and 2004. In 1975,she was elected as the president of the Indian Youth Congress. She was made the president of All India Mahila Congress in 1988 and general secretary of All India Congress Committee in 1999. She served as a member of various committees including committee on public undertakings,consultative committee for the ministry of civil aviation,committee on defence,committee on transport and tourism,committee on home affairs and consultative committee for the ministry of environment and forests. Sources said there was no other contender from the Congress for the seat and the choice had been clear. Meanwhile,the SADs Core Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA),on Friday,unanimously authorised party patron-in-chief and Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to nominate the partys candidate. Badal took the decision to nominate Bhunder. He was first elected to the Upper House during the previous term of the SAD government Bhunder was in race with former deputy speaker of the Lok Sabha Atwal for the nomination. Other contenders for the seat included senior leader Tota Singh,political advisor to CM Dr Daljeet Singh Cheema,Media Advisor to CM Harcharan Bains, Hardev Singh Mattewal and JS Bajaj. Given the party strength in the Assembly,SAD and the Congress would share a seat for the Rajya Sabha in the elections to be held later this month. A per a notification issued earlier,June 7 will be the last date for filing nomination papers. Scrutiny of nomination papers will be held on June 8 and June 10 will be the last date for withdrawal of nominations. Polling will be held on June 17.
