Rajya Sabha polls: Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Sunday announced its candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections. The Mamata Banerjee-led party named journalist Sagarika Ghose, Sushmita Dev, Nadimul Haque, and Mamata Bala Thakur as its candidates for election to the Upper House of the Parliament.
“We are pleased to announce the candidature of Sagarika Ghose, Sushmita Dev, Md. Nadimul Haque and Mamata Bala Thakur for the forthcoming Rajya Sabha elections”, the party said in a tweet.
“We extend our heartfelt wishes to them and may they work towards upholding Trinamool’s enduring legacy of indomitable spirit and advocacy for the rights of every Indian”, it said.
Who is Sagarika Ghose?
Sagarika Ghose is a journalist and author renowned for her extensive coverage of political affairs. She has worked with various media outlets including The Times of India, Outlook magazine, and CNN-IBN (now CNN-News18). Ghose is known for her work in print journalism as well as her appearances as a television anchor and political commentator. She has authored several books, including “The Gin Drinkers,” “Blind Faith: India and the Mirage of Urban Modernity,” and “Why I Am A Liberal: A Manifesto for Indians Who Believe in Individual Freedom.” She is known for her close association with TMC and Mamata Banerjee.
About Sushmita Dev and other candidates
Sushmita Dev, the daughter of the late former Union Minister Santosh Mohan Dev and former MLA Bithika Dev, is a current member of the Rajya Sabha. She previously served as a Lok Sabha MP from Silchar in Assam. However, she lost the seat to Rajdeep Roy of the BJP in the recent Assam Assembly polls.
Before joining the TMC, Dev held the position of president of the All India Mahila Congress. She resigned from the party and joined the TMC in the presence of party general secretary Abhishek Banerjee.
Md. Nadimul Haque is a notable Muslim leader within the TMC and currently serves as a member of the Rajya Sabha representing the party. Mamata Bala Thakur is another influential figure in the TMC who previously represented the Bangaon constituency in Parliament.
Rajya Sabha elections
The Election Commission announced the date for 56 Rajya Sabha seats in 15 states. The elections will take place on February 27 and the votes will be counted on the same day. The term of office of 56 members are due to expire on their retirement in April 2024.
According to the Election Commission’s letter, nominations will start from February 8. The last date for nomination for Rajya Sabha elections is February 15. Scrutiny of nomination papers will be held on February 16. The last date for withdrawal of nominations has been kept as February 20. Voting will take place on February 27 between 9 am and 4 pm and counting of votes will take place on the same day at 5 pm.
Number of seats on which elections will be held in the 15 states:
Andhra Pradesh: 3, Bihar: 6, Chhattisgarh: 1, Gujarat: 4, Haryana: 1, Himachal Pradesh: 1, Karnataka: 4, Madhya Pradesh: 5, Maharashtra: 6, Telangana: 3, Uttar Pradesh: 10, Uttarakhand: 1, West Bengal: 5, Odisha: 3, and Rajasthan: 3.
As of the current composition of the Rajya Sabha, there are 238 elected representatives. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) holds the highest number of seats with 93, followed by the Congress party with 30 seats. Other significant parties include the Trinamool Congress (TMC) with 13 seats, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) with 10 seats, and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) with 10 seats, among others.
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