The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Monday named its national spokesperson Saket Gokhale and five others as its candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha election. Besides Gokhale, TMC Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien, MPs Dola Sen and Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, and TMC members Samirul Islam and Prakash Chik Baraik were named by the Mamata Banerjee-led party.
While it will be a repeat term for O’Brien, Sen and Ray, this is the first time that Gokhale has been nominated as a candidate for the Rajya Sabha election. Along with Gokhale, two other new faces are Islam, Bangla Sanskriti Mancha president, and Baraik, TMC’s Alipurduar district president.
“We take great pleasure in announcing the candidatures of @derekobrienmp, @Dolasen7, @Sukhendusekhar, @Samirul65556476, @ChikPrakash, and @SaketGokhale for the forthcoming Rajya Sabha elections. 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 TMC tweeted.
Expressing his gratitude to the West Bengal chief minister and TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, Gokhale tweeted, “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. They’ve been the source of my strength, my inspiration for public service, & rock solid pillars who stood by me & my family in the toughest times.”
Calling O’Brien his “mentor and guardian angel”, Gokhale said, “@derekobrienmp who has taught me literally everything I know about politics & has been my advisor at every step of life. Even if I’m able to be half the parliamentarian that he is, I’d consider that an immense achievement.”
He further thanked his colleagues at All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) and said, “I’m also grateful for my party colleagues at @AITCofficial & the people of West Bengal who accepted me with open arms. I promise to give my all & everything to be an effective public representative & lawmaker & to stand up steadfastly for our democracy & Constitution.”
Besides O’Brien, Ray and Sen, the tenures of Congress MP Pradip Bhattacharya, TMC’s Assam leader Sushmita Dev and its Darjeeling leader Shanta Chhetri’s ended, following which these six seats fell vacant.
A seventh Rajya Sabha seat from West Bengal is also vacant after former Goa chief minister Luizinho Faleiro resigned as a TMC MP in April. A bypoll will be held in that seat along with the elections to these six seats on July 24.
Election Commission announces Rajya Sabha poll schedule for three states
The Election Commission of India had announced the schedule for ten Rajya Sabha polls in Gujarat, West Bengal and Goa. The polling will be held on July 24 and counting will take place on the same day. As per the notification released by the poll panel, 10 Rajya Sabha seats in these three states are falling vacant due to the retirement of the respective members.
From West Bengal, those whose term was coming to an end among TMC party members included, Derek O’Brien, Dola Sen, Sushmita Dev, Shanta Chhetri and Sukhendu Shekhar Ray. Dev, a former Congress member, and Chhetri have been left out for now.
