TMC Names 6 Candidates for Rajya Sabha Polls, Including Derek O’Brien, Saket Gokhale

GG News Bureau

Kolkata, 10th July. The Trinamool Congress declared its candidates for the six Rajya Sabha seats in West Bengal that will go up for election later this month on Monday.

Derek O’Brien, Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, and Dola Sen were among the candidates. O’Brien has been the TMC’s Rajya Sabha leader since 2011, while Ray, who was first elected to the Upper House of Parliament in 2012, is the deputy chief whip, and Sen, a senior leader and trade unionist, was elected in 2017.

Bangla Sanskriti Mancha president Samirul Islam, TMC Alipurduar district president Prakash Chik Baraik, and RTI activist and TMC spokesperson Saket Gokhale were among the additions to the list.

Besides O’Brien, Ray, and Sen, the terms of Congress MP Pradip Bhattacharya, TMC Assam leader Sushmita Dev, and TMC Darjeeling leader Shanta Chhetri ended, leaving these six seats empty.

Former Goa chief minister Luizinho Faleiro resigned as a TMC MP in April, leaving a seventh Rajya Sabha seat empty. On July 24, a by-election will be held in that seat along with to the polls for the other six seats.

“We take great pleasure in announcing the candidatures of Derek O’Brien, Dola Sen, Sukhendu Sekhar, Samirul Islam, Prakash Chik Baraik, and Saket Gokhale for the forthcoming Rajya Sabha elections,” the TMC said in a tweet.

“May they persist in their dedication to serving the people and uphold Trinamool’s enduring legacy of indomitable spirit and advocacy for the RIGHTS OF EVERY INDIAN. We extend our heartfelt wishes to all,” the party tweeted from its official handle on Monday morning,” it added.

The TMC has 216 MLAs in the 294-member assembly and enjoys the support of five BJP MLAs, who switched over to the ruling party but are yet to resign from the House. The BJP has a strength of 70 in the assembly.

Along with these seats from West Bengal, elections will be held for four Rajya Sabha seats from Gujarat and Goa.

According to practice, the counting of votes will take place at 5 pm on July 24 itself, an hour after the conclusion of the poll process.