The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has announced its candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha election in West Bengal. With a majority in the state, the TMC is set to contest only one seat against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Out of the six TMC candidates, three are new faces, reflecting the party’s strategy to maintain its stronghold among Muslims and in north Bengal.
The three sitting Upper House MPs, Derek O’Brien (TMC’s Rajya Sabha leader), Dola Sen, and Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, have been renominated by the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC. Alongside them, three new candidates have been fielded for the election.
Saket Gokhale, the TMC’s national spokesperson, Prakash Chik Baraik, the Alipurduar district president, and Samirul Islam, president of the civil society organisation Bangla Sanskriti Mancha, are the fresh faces representing the TMC in the Rajya Sabha.
Expressing gratitude to Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee, Gokhale tweeted, “I’m extremely grateful to my leaders @MamataOfficial & @abhishekaitc for fielding me as a candidate for election as Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha. I’m overwhelmed by their faith in me & for giving this opportunity to a young middle-class boy who comes from a non-political background.”
Also Read: West Bengal panchayat elections: Death toll rises to 15, TMC worker found dead near polling booth
“I promise to give my all & everything to be an effective public representative & lawmaker & to stand up steadfastly for our democracy & Constitution,” he added.
The inclusion of new faces holds political significance for the TMC. By nominating Prakash Chik Baraik, the party aims to regain support in north Bengal, where it has recently faced electoral setbacks. Baraik’s affiliation with the Alipurduar district strengthens the TMC’s commitment to the region.
In the case of Samirul Islam, the TMC seeks to reconnect with the minorities, a section of which the ruling party appears to have alienated since the 2021 Assembly polls, “This is a big honour. I am very happy. It means I have to shoulder more responsibilities now. The nomination process has begun for RS seats from West Bengal. Right now, I will be focusing on this,” Samirul Islam commented.
The nomination of Saket Gokhale is notable due to his previous controversies. His arrest in December last year over a tweet regarding the Morbi bridge collapse and subsequent allegations of embezzlement of crowdfunded resources brought him into the spotlight. By selecting him as a candidate, the TMC is demonstrating its confidence in Gokhale despite these issues.