Kolkata: Five Rajya Sabha candidates from Bengal - four from the ruling Trinamool Congress and one from the BJP filed their nominations at the Assembly on Thursday.
With a number of MLAs stacked in its favour in the Bengal assembly, Trinamool Congress (TMC) is set to win four of the five Rajya Sabha seats from the state while the BJP is expected to secure one. Trinamool Congress’ four candidates are singer turned politician and minister Babul Supriyo, former Bengal DGP Rajeev Kumar, senior advocate Menaka Guruswamy and actor Koel Mallick. BJP, on the other hand, nominated its long standing “trusted lieutenant” Rahul Sinha. Out of the five Rajya Sabha seats that fell vacant from Bengal, four were held by the ruling party. Polling will be held for 37 Rajya Sabha seats across multiple states.
Rajeev Kumar in reaction to his filing nomination quoted Mother Teresa: “I know God will not give me anything I can’t handle. I just wish that He didn’t trust me so much.” Upon filing her papers, Menaka Guruswamy expressed her gratitude to the party supremo Mamata Banerjee: “I feel deeply moved and honoured as Banerjee has chosen me as a candidate.” When asked about her legislative priorities, she said: “It’s too early. I have only just come to file my nomination today.”
Actress Koel Mallick who made her first visit to the Assembly on Thursday, accompanied by her husband Nispal Singh Rane said: “The journey has just begun. It is an entirely new experience, and it feels wonderful. My career has spanned almost 22 years and I have always received the people’s blessings. I hope to continue receiving their love in the days ahead.” Babul Supriyo was seen in a celebratory mood, distributing and enjoying sweets during the nomination filing process. He expressed happiness after being nominated as one of the candidates for Rajya Sabha.
“I am extremely happy. It’s a new platform with new responsibilities. I am extremely grateful to the Chief Minister and the party for accepting me with so much love and giving me this responsibility to represent the state in Rajya Sabha. I will do my best for the people,” Supriyo added.
TMC released a statement on social media saying “Each of them brings a wealth of experience, conviction and commitment to public service. Their journeys reflect a shared dedication to strengthening democratic values and amplifying the voices of the people… May they continue to serve with integrity, courage, and purpose.”
From the BJP, Rahul Sinha filed nomination alongside party colleague Samik Bhattacharya. Sinha signalled a traditional tone for his candidacy, wearing a ceremonial uttariya (scarf) from Banke Bihari. “The BJP has proven that a worker is great. It sent a message to those who are waiting for an opportunity that the party takes care of every worker,” said Sinha.