Kolkata, Feb 27 (NationPress) In a surprising turn of events, the Trinamool Congress revealed its list of candidates for the vacant Rajya Sabha seats in West Bengal late Friday night.

The first notable name is Rajeev Kumar, who recently concluded his term as the acting director general of police (DGP) for West Bengal.

Next on the list is Babul Supriyo, the current information technology minister, who has transitioned from a singer-actor to a politician. Supriyo has previously served two terms as a member of the Lok Sabha with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and held the position of Union Minister of State in the cabinet led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Also included is Menaka Guruswamy, a prominent Supreme Court advocate, recognized for her role as legal counsel for Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee during recent controversies surrounding the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) raids at the Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) offices and the home of its founder, Pratik Jain.

The last candidate put forward by Trinamool Congress is the famed Bengali actress Koel Mallick.

In a statement issued by Trinamool Congress on Friday night, they expressed, “We are delighted to announce the candidacies of Babul Supriyo, Rajeev Kumar (Former DGP, West Bengal), Menaka Guruswamy, and Koel Mallick for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections. We offer our sincere congratulations and best wishes to them. May they continue to uphold the enduring legacy of Trinamool, characterized by resilience and a steadfast commitment to protecting the rights and dignity of every Indian.”

The elections for five Rajya Sabha seats from West Bengal are scheduled for March 16. The ruling Trinamool Congress is anticipated to secure four seats, while the BJP is expected to gain one, based on the respective strengths of the parties within the state Assembly.

Among these Rajya Sabha positions, three will become vacant as the terms of incumbent Trinamool members—Subrata Bakshi, Ritabrata Banerjee, and Saket Gokhale—expire.

The fourth seat is vacated by former Trinamool MP Mausam Benazir Noor, who recently resigned from Rajya Sabha to join the Congress party. Given the numerical strength of Trinamool in the West Bengal Assembly, the party is well-positioned to elect its candidates for these four seats.

Additionally, the term of CPI-M Rajya Sabha member and senior advocate Bikas Ranjan Bhattacharya is concluding. As CPI-M lacks representation in the Assembly, the BJP will likely secure its single candidate from that seat without much difficulty.

It remains to be seen who the BJP will nominate as their candidate for that remaining Rajya Sabha seat from West Bengal.