Fearing cross-voting in the May 30 election for two Rajya Sabha seats,one of which is being contested by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh,the Congress Wednesday issued a whip to its legislators. This means the 79 Congress legislators and their 15 ally MLAs would be required to show their marked ballots to a polling agent to dispel suspicion they might have voted against the partys candidate. Two opposition parties,AGP,which has nine MLAs,and the BJP,which has five members in the Assembly,would abstain from voting. The whip was issued after the Congress failed to persuade All India United Democratic Front its opposition in Guwahati but ally at the Centre not to field a candidate against Singh,who is seeking a fifth term from Assam. It also seems an attempt to secure the other seat from the fallout of dissidence in its ranks. Several legislators have criticised the Congress for fielding newcomer Santiuse Kujur. Some have spoken against Chief Minister Tarun Gogois stricture to remain within the laxmanrekha. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Nilamoni Sen Deka,however,dismissed suggestions that the Congress was worried about dissidence in the party. The party,he said,has enlisted 49 legislators to vote for Singh and 45 for Kujur.
