New Delhi, Feb 28 (IANS) The All India Trinamool Congress announced four candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections, triggering a wave of reactions from across the political spectrum.

The party declared the nominations of Babul Supriyo, Rajeev Kumar, Menaka Guruswamy, and Koel Mallick in a statement on its social media handles, congratulating them and wishing that they continue to uphold the party’s legacy of resilience and commitment to safeguarding the rights and dignity of every Indian.

Trinamool MLA Asit Mazumdar on Saturday, described the announcement as just the glimpse of a bigger picture.

“This is just the trailer — the full picture is still to come. This is Mamata Banerjee’s trailer; the real picture is yet to unfold. What happens next will be seen by the people of Bengal and the people of India,” he told IANS.

Reacting to the announcement, BJP leader Dilip Ghosh commented, “Who TMC chooses as its candidate is entirely in its own hands. But people like Rajeev Kumar, who were very helpful to Mamata Banerjee in running the administration and stood by her during every crisis, were bound to be rewarded.”

Among the nominees, Babul Supriyo, who joined the Trinamool in 2021, currently serves as a minister in the Mamata Banerjee Cabinet. Rajeev Kumar is a former Director General of Police and had also served as Commissioner of Kolkata Police.

Menaka Guruswamy is a prominent Supreme Court advocate, while Koel Mallick is a celebrated actor in the Bengali film industry.

The Election Commission has announced that polling for 37 Rajya Sabha seats across several states, including West Bengal, will be held on March 16.

In the 294-member West Bengal Assembly, the Trinamool holds an effective strength of 218 MLAs, bolstered by support from several Opposition legislators who have switched sides without formally resigning.

This gives the ruling party a comfortable majority to secure the election of four members to the Rajya Sabha. In contrast, the BJP’s numbers have fallen from their 2021 high of 77 seats to around 65, affected by resignations, defections, deaths, and bypoll defeats.

–IANS

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