Kolkata, March 3 (NationPress) On Tuesday, the West Bengal unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) announced that it has selected Rahul Sinha, a former National Secretary and previous State party President, as its candidate for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections from the state.

Rahul Sinha is a prominent political figure in West Bengal and has played a significant role as a senior leader within the BJP's state unit. His previous tenure as State BJP President was marked by the strengthening of the party's organizational framework and active participation in various movements. Renowned for his forthright political views, he has also diligently served as the party's National Secretary. His role as a robust voice of the Opposition in West Bengal politics is well recognized,” remarked a statement from the BJP’s West Bengal division.

In the upcoming elections on March 16, five Rajya Sabha seats from West Bengal will be contested. Current projections indicate that the ruling Trinamool Congress is likely to secure four of these seats, leaving the BJP with a solitary seat, reflecting the numerical strengths of both parties in the state Assembly.

Last week, the Trinamool Congress had already revealed its four candidates for the Rajya Sabha.

If no additional nominations are submitted in the interim, then the four candidates from the Trinamool Congress, along with the BJP's candidate, will be automatically elected to the Upper House of Parliament.

The Trinamool Congress candidates include former West Bengal Police Director General Rajeev Kumar; the current West Bengal Information Technology Minister and entertainer-turned-politician Babul Supriyo; senior Supreme Court advocate Menaka Guruswamy, a leading figure in the nation’s Queer movement; and famous Bengali actress Koel Mallick.

Out of the five Rajya Sabha seats, three are vacant due to the conclusion of terms for sitting Trinamool Congress members, specifically Subrata Bakshi, Ritabrata Banerjee, and Saket Gokhale.

The fourth seat has opened up following the resignation of former Trinamool Congress MP Mausam Benazir Noor, who recently switched to the Congress party.

Given the existing numerical dominance of the Trinamool Congress in the West Bengal Assembly, it is anticipated that the party will have no trouble electing its four candidates from these seats.

The term of CPI-M Rajya Sabha member and senior advocate Bikas Ranjan Bhattacharya is also set to conclude.

As the CPI-M currently holds no strength in the West Bengal Assembly, the BJP is expected to win its lone candidate from that seat.