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BJP Unveils 9 Rajya Sabha Candidates; TMC, BJD Also Announce Nominees

The Bharatiya Janata Party has released its first list of nine candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha biennial elections across six states. The All India Trinamool Congress announced four candidates, including former Union Minister Babul Supriyo and actress Koel Mallick. Separately, Biju Janata Dal president Naveen Patnaik announced two candidates for the polls from Odisha. The Election Commission has scheduled the polling for 37 vacant seats across ten states for March 16.

Key Points: BJP, TMC, BJD Announce Rajya Sabha Candidates for March 16 Polls

  • BJP announces first list of 9 candidates
  • TMC nominates Babul Supriyo & Koel Mallick
  • BJD fields Dr Santrupt Misra & Dr Datteswar Hota
  • Polling for 37 seats across 10 states on March 16
3 min read

BJP announces nine candidates for biennial Rajya Sabha polls; Nitin Nabin nominated from Bihar, Rahul Sinha from Bengal

BJP names 9 candidates for Rajya Sabha elections across 6 states. TMC fields Babul Supriyo, BJD nominates two. Polling scheduled for March 16.

"For the Rajya Sabha election, our party has decided to give two candidates. - Naveen Patnaik"

New Delhi, March 3

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday released its first list of candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha biennial elections, clearing nine names across six states.

According to an official press release, the announcement was made by the party's Central Election Committee from its New Delhi headquarters.

From Bihar, the party has selected BJP National President Nitin Nabin and Shivesh Kumar. In Assam, the nominees are Terash Gowalla and Jogen Mohan, while in Chhattisgarh, Laxmi Verma will be contesting. Haryana's candidate is Sanjay Bhatia. Odisha will have Manmohan Samal and Sujeet Kumar representing the party, and from West Bengal, Rahul Sinha has been chosen.

Earlier, the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) announced four candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections: Babul Supriyo, Rajeev Kumar, Menaka Guruswamy, and Koel Mallick.

Babul Supriyo, a former Union Minister who later joined the Trinamool Congress, currently serves as Cabinet Minister of Information Technology and Electronics of the Government of West Bengal. Rajeev Kumar is a former Director General of Police of West Bengal. Senior advocate Menaka Guruswamy is known for her legal work in constitutional matters, while Koel Mallick is a prominent figure in the Bengali film industry.

Meanwhile, Naveen Patnaik, Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president and Leader of Opposition in the Odisha Assembly, earlier announced two candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections.

Addressing reporters, Patnaik announced Dr Santrupt Misra and Dr Datteswar Hota as the candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections.

"For the Rajya Sabha election, our party has decided to give two candidates. The first candidate for the third seat is Dr Santrupt Misra, a senior member from our party. The second candidate for the fourth seat is a common candidate, Dr Datteswar Hota, a renowned doctor from Odisha who was the first vice chancellor of the Odisha Health University and was also the principal of the SCB Medical College. Since he is a common candidate, I appeal to all the parties to support him and send him to the Rajya Sabha," Patnaik said.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission of India (ECI) announced that polling for the upcoming Rajya Sabha biennial elections will be held on March 16, with vote counting the same day at 5 pm and the process concluding by March 20.

The elections will fill 37 seats across 10 states - Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Telangana - whose members' terms end in April 2026.

The notification was issued on February 26, commencing the election process, while the last date for nominations is March 5, scrutiny on March 6, and withdrawal by March 9.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priyanka N
Interesting mix of candidates from TMC as well - a former minister, a former police chief, a lawyer, and an actress. Seems like a strategy to cover different voter bases in Bengal. But will they work together effectively? 🤔
S
Siddharth J
Respectfully, I have to question the nomination of film personalities to the Rajya Sabha. While their popularity is undeniable, the Upper House requires deep policy understanding. I hope Ms. Mallick proves to be an exception.
A
Aman W
Naveen Patnaik's appeal for a common candidate, Dr. Hota, is a good gesture. Politics needs more of this bipartisan support for accomplished individuals, especially from fields like medicine. Hope other parties listen.
M
Meera T
Menaka Guruswamy is an excellent choice! Her work on constitutional matters is well-known. It's refreshing to see legal experts being considered for these roles. More professionals, fewer career politicians, please! 👏
V
Vikram M
The process seems very rushed - notification on 26th Feb, nominations by 5th March, voting on 16th. Hope all candidates get proper time to present their vision. Rajya Sabha elections are crucial for federal balance.

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