TMC nominates Babul Supriyo, Ex-DGP Rajeev Kumar among 4 for RS polls; BJP raises ‘non-Bengali’ pitch

TMC announces four Rajya Sabha candidates

New Delhi/Kolkata: The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Friday announced its candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections from West Bengal, naming Minister Babul Supriyo, former state police Chief Rajeev Kumar, senior advocate Menaka Guruswamy and actress Koel Mallick for the Upper House.

The announcement comes ahead of polling for five Rajya Sabha seats in West Bengal scheduled on 16 March. Given its commanding strength in the state Assembly, TMC is comfortably placed to secure four of the five seats. The remaining seat is expected to go to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), replacing the outgoing member from the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M).

Notably, none of the four retiring TMC MPs have been renominated. Among them, Mausam Noor has joined the Congress party, while senior leaders Subrata Bakshi, Ritabrata Banerjee and Saket Gokhale are set to complete their terms next month. With CPI(M) currently lacking representation in the state Assembly, the party will no longer have a member from West Bengal in the Rajya Sabha once its outgoing MP demits office.

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Babul Supriyo’s nomination marks his return to Parliament after a five-year gap. A former Union Minister in the Narendra Modi-led government, Supriyo joined TMC in September 2021 after resigning from the BJP. He had previously represented Asansol in the Lok Sabha twice, in 2014 and 2019, before shifting to state politics. He later won the Ballygunge Assembly bypoll and currently serves as a minister in the West Bengal government led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. His elevation to the Rajya Sabha indicates he is unlikely to contest the next Assembly election.

The party has also fielded Rajeev Kumar, a former Director General of Police known for his close association with the state leadership. The inclusion of Menaka Guruswamy, a prominent advocate known for her work on constitutional and LGBTQI+ rights, and popular Bengali actress Koel Mallick adds diversity to the party’s slate.

Soon after the announcement, the BJP criticised TMC, alleging that some nominees do not adequately represent Bengali identity - a charge the ruling party has frequently used in political exchanges in the state.

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In a statement posted on social media platform X, TMC extended congratulations to its nominees, expressing confidence that they would uphold the party’s commitment to protecting the rights and dignity of citizens.

The Rajya Sabha elections are expected to further consolidate TMC’s presence in the Upper House while reshaping West Bengal’s parliamentary representation.