Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Sunday had shared names of their Rajya Sabha candidates including names of journalist Sagarika Ghose, party leader Sushmita Dev, TMC leader and sitting Rajya Sabha MP Md. Nadimul Haque and former Lok Sabha MP Mamata Bala Thakur.
Extending heartfelt wishes, the party taking to X said, “We are pleased to announce the candidature of @sagarikaghose, @SushmitaDevAITC, @MdNadimulHaque6 and Mamata Bala Thakur for the forthcoming Rajya Sabha elections.”
TMC's list
According to TMC sources, the party has decided not to renominate the three sitting MPs Subhasish Chakraborty, Abir Biswas, and Santanu Sen. Sushmita Dev had defected from Congress to TMC in 2021 was Rajya Sabha MP from October 2021 to August 2023 and now again got nominated.
Sagarika Ghose who authored biographies of former prime ministers Indira Gandhi and Atal Bihari Vajpayee and is wife of journalist Rajdeep Sardesai is nominated by the ruling TMC. Nadimul Haque sitting Rajya Sabha MP also features in the list.
BJP's list
Amid Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s constant effort to woo the Matua community, Mamata Bala Thakur who is from the Matua community and party’s former Lok Sabha MP got nomination which is a significant move by the party.
With the strength in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly, the ruling TMC can claim four out of five vacant seats in the Upper House and BJP can claim one.
Meanwhile, BJP had nominated their state chief spokesperson Shamik Bhattacharya as their candidate in the Upper House.