The Trinamool Congress on Tuesday nominated Sushmita Dev as its candidate for a bye-poll to the Rajya Sabha. A former Lok Sabha MP, Dev had joined the Trinamool Congress on August 16 after quitting the Congress.
The Rajya Sabha seat from West Bengal that Dev would be contesting fell vacant after Trinamool Congress leader Manas Bhunia quit the Upper House. Bhunia resigned as an MP after winning the Sabang seat in the recent Assembly elections in West Bengal.
The Trinamool Congress announced Dev’s candidature in a tweet. “[West Bengal Chief Minister] Mamata Banerjee’s vision to empower women and ensure their maximum participation in politics shall help our society to achieve much more,” the party said.
Dev, who represented the Silchar Lok Sabha seat in Assam, thanked Banerjee for the opportunity. “I am overwhelmed,” she said in a tweet. “Her conviction to see more women in Parliament is exemplary. To give someone from North East [an opportunity] is path breaking. I will do my very best.”
Meanwhile, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam on Tuesday announced Kanimozhi NVN Somu and KRN Rajeshkumar as its candidates for the two vacant Rajya Sabha seats from Tamil Nadu, The Hindu reported.
The two seats fell vacant as All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam MPs KP Munusamy and R Vaithilingam quit after being elected as MLAs to the Tamil Nadu Assembly.
Bye-polls to seven vacant Rajya Sabha seats will be held on October 4, the Election Commission had announced last week. The seats include two from Tamil Nadu and one each from West Bengal, Assam, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Puducherry.
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