‘TMC lacks environment for political growth in Assam’: Sushmita Dev explains why she quit party
Her decision to quit the party and resign as its Rajya Sabha MP came amid the ongoing rebellion by several other TMC MPs.
Amid the Trinamool implosion, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is widely expected to sweep all three Rajya Sabha by-elections from West Bengal, which was necessitated after the recent resignations of Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, Sushmita Dev, and Prakash Chik Baraik.
As the nomination process starts on Tuesday, the saffron party which commands numerical advantage in the 294-member assembly with 208 MLAs, is ready to make the most of the situation as the divided Trinamool Congress is unlikely to field candidates.
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Former Trinamool Rajya Sabha MP Sukhendu Sekhar Roy has emerged as a strong contender despite the fact that he has not formally joined the BJP. Speculation across the political camp on Roy’s nomination has intensified following his meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday.
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Roy has largely remained free from allegations of corruption during his parliamentary career and had even publicly questioned the state administration over the RG Kar hospital controversy before later softening his stand. BJP leaders have also pointed to his long-standing personal rapport with several senior central leaders as another factor behind the growing speculation over his possible candidature.
The BJP is yet to officially announce its candidates. However senior BJP leaders have indicated that the party may announce its three candidates within the next couple of days, with a section of the leadership claiming Roy is a frontrunner.
The Election Commission has scheduled the bypolls for July 24. While the nominations will be accepted until July 14, scrutiny will be held on July 15, and the last date for withdrawal is July 17. Counting of votes will begin at 5 pm on July 24.
If all its legislators vote along party lines, the saffron camp has enough numbers to comfortably elect three Rajya Sabha members, with its candidates expected to secure around 70, 69 and 69 votes respectively. Any cross-voting from the Opposition would further strengthen the BJP’s position.
Although the combined strength of the two Trinamool factions stands at around 80 MLAs, neither camp individually has the minimum numbers required to elect a Rajya Sabha member.
Leader of the Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee, who heads one of the factions with around 65 MLAs, ruled out fielding candidates. “Given the present strength in the Assembly, Trinamool is not in a position to win any of the three seats. We do not have enough MLAs to field candidates,” he had said on Monday.
Party leaders maintain that while the state unit recommends names to the BJP high command, the final decision on candidates rests with the party’s parliamentary board.
The speculation gained further momentum on Monday when union home minister Amit Shah held a closed-door meeting with senior West Bengal BJP leaders at Saujanya in Alipore after attending programmes at New Town, Bhawanipur and Milan Mela Ground.
Sushmita Dev, who resigned from the Rajya Sabha on June 10, has already declared that she intends to work under the guidance of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
If the BJP secures all three seats as expected, its Rajya Sabha strength from West Bengal will increase from three to six members, which would take the NDA’s strength in the Rajya Sabha beyond the 150-mark ahead of the Monsoon Session of Parliament beginning on July 20.
Opposition parties believe the government could use its strengthened numbers to steamroll key constitutional amendment bills in Parliament, including those related to the implementation of women’s reservation tied with parliamentary seat delimitation.
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