The political machinery in West Bengal hummed with activity as nominations for five Rajya Sabha seats were filed Thursday, spotlighting Trinamool Congress’s ironclad control and BJP’s solitary push.
With TMC commanding a massive majority in the 294-member assembly, its four candidates are virtually guaranteed victory, matched by BJP’s single nominee. Uncontested wins loom large unless nominations falter under scrutiny on March 6 or candidates pull out by March 9.
Leading TMC’s charge is ex-DGP Rajeev Kumar, whose policing legacy during turbulent times adds gravitas. Joining him are Babul Supriyo, the vocal IT minister with a Bollywood-Bengali film background; Menaka Guruswamy, a fierce Supreme Court advocate known for landmark cases; and Koyel Mallick, the silver screen sensation turning political influencer.
BJP counters with Rahul Sinha, a party veteran whose organizational skills shaped its Bengal resurgence.
The seats opened up due to term ends for TMC trio Subrata Bakshi, Ritabrata Banerjee, and Saket Gokhale, plus Mousam Benazir Noor’s shift to Congress after quitting Rajya Sabha. CPI(M)’s Bikas Ranjan Bhattacharya’s exit leaves his seat vulnerable, likely BJP’s by default given Left’s assembly absence.
This nomination frenzy reflects deeper narratives: TMC’s strategy to infuse fresh faces from diverse fields into Parliament, BJP’s bid to maintain relevance, and the fragility of alliances in Mamata Banerjee’s backyard. While smooth sailing seems certain, Bengal’s volatile politics keeps the suspense alive until final clearances.