TMC, BJP candidates win RS election uncontested

Four Trinamul Congress nominees were elected to Rajya Sabha today uncontested.

The four are minister Babul Supriyo, SC advocate Maneka Guruswwami, former DG West Bengal Police Rajeev Kumar and actor Koyel Mullick. They went to the West Bengal Legislative Assembly and collected wining certificate from the returning officer.

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BJP’s candidate Rahul Sinha was also elected uncontested.

A brief controversy over alleged irregularities in the nomination papers of former BJP state president Rahul Sinha surfaced during the Rajya Sabha election process, before he was finally declared elected unopposed on Monday.

The Trinamul Congress had lodged a complaint with the Election Commission of India alleging that Sinha had submitted his nomination form by allegedly “copying” details from a predecessor’s form, which resulted in several discrepancies. Raising questions over how such a form was accepted despite the alleged errors, the ruling party sought the commission’s intervention. Following the complaint, Sinha reportedly had to rush with additional documents at the last moment in compliance with directions from the Election Commission. Though his victory was considered certain due to the BJP’s numerical strength for the lone seat it contested, the controversy over the paperwork briefly cast uncertainty over the process.

However, the issue was eventually resolved and Sinha’s nomination was accepted. On Monday, the returning officer handed over the certificate of election to him at the Assembly.

In a notable moment of political courtesy, Trinamul Congress leader and minister Babul Supriyo was seen congratulating Sinha after the certificate distribution ceremony. The two leaders exchanged greetings in the Assembly corridor, presenting a rare image of civility between representatives of rival political camps.

State minister Aroop Biswas collected the certificate on behalf of Maneka Guruswwami. The Rajya Sabha election from West Bengal is scheduled for 16 March. This year, five seats from the state fell vacant in the Upper House — four previously held by the Trinamul Congress and one by the BJP.