Kolkata
The Trinamool Congress on Friday announced former West Bengal Director General of Police Rajeev Kumar, Supreme Court lawyer Menaka Guruswamy, state government minister Babul Supriyo and popular actor Koel Mallick as candidates for the Rajya Sabha elections scheduled for March 16.
“We are happy to announce the nomination of Babul Supriyo, Rajiv Kumar (former DGP, West Bengal), Menaka Guruswamy and Koel Mallick for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections,” the TMC said in a post on X.
Kumar recently retired after serving in positions like state DGP and Kolkata Police Commissioner.
Guruswamy, who was one of the lawyers behind the decriminalization of homosexuality in 2018, is also among the lawyers defending the TMC against the Enforcement Directorate in a case filed by the agency against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for allegedly interfering in its operations on January 8.
If successfully elected, Guruswamy will become the first person to publicly identify as a member of the LGBTQIA+ communities to reach Parliament.
The TMC has the numbers to win four of the five Bengal seats that will fall vacant on April 2. The BJP is set to win the fifth seat.
The Rajya Sabha terms of CPI(M)’s Subrata Bakshi, Ritabrata Banerjee, Saket Gokhale and Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya expire this year. TMC’s Mausam Noor’s term was also going to end on April 2 but she returned to the Congress on January 3 and resigned from the Rajya Sabha.
“While Bakshi has decided not to contest due to his age and health issues, the TMC has decided not to renominate Ritabrata as he is a potential candidate for the Assembly elections. Gokhale may be given a new role,” said a TMC leader, requesting anonymity. Ritabrata is scheduled to contest the Assembly elections later this year.
Malik is a popular actor with a wide fan following in the state. Supriyo, a singer-turned-politician, was a BJP Lok Sabha member from Asansol but left the party in 2021 and joined TMC. He won the Ballygunge Assembly by poll in 2022.
“We extend our heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to them. May they continue to uphold Trinamul’s enduring legacy of resilience and unwavering commitment to protecting the rights and dignity of every Indian,” the TMC’s post said.
With no MLAs in Bengal since 2021, the Congress and the Left parties are not in the race.
