NEW DELHI/ KOLKATA: The Trinamool Congress on Monday announced its candidates for the six Rajya Sabha seats in West Bengal that will go to polls later this month.
Among these candidates were Derek O'Brien, Sukhendu Sekhar Ray and Dola Sen.
O'Brien, an MP since 2011, is the TMC's leader in Rajya Sabha, while Ray who was first sent to the Upper House of Parliament in 2012 is the deputy chief whip. Sen, a senior leader and trade unionist, became an MP in 2017.
The newcomers on the list were Bangla Sanskriti Mancha president Samirul Islam, TMC's Alipurduar district president Prakash Chik Baraik, an RTI activist and TMC spokesperson Saket Gokhale.
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 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 poll will be held in that seat along with the elections to these six seats on July 24.
"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.
Thanking the TMC leadership for nominating him, 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.
I promise to give my all & everything to be an effective public representative & lawmaker & to stand up steadfastly for our democracy & Constitution," he said.
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 in 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.