No elections for RS as BJP dummy candidate withdraws nomination

MP, 16 July 2023, Kolkata: With the BJP’s dummy candidate withdrawing his nomination for Rajya Sabha, all the other candidates from both TMC and BJP will be going to the Upper House from West Bengal without having to go through an election process. It is learnt that the BJP’s dummy candidate Rathindra Basu went to the State Assembly and withdrew his nomination on Saturday. 

Due to this development, the election process that was scheduled to be held on July 24 inside the Assembly will not be taking place any more. Hence, the other candidates who had filed their nominations will go to the Rajya Sabha without any contest. 

The members of the TMC who will be going to the Upper House without any election include Derek O’Brien, Sukhendu Sekhar Roy, Dola Sen, Samirul Islam and Prakash Barik. Ananta Maharaj will be going to Rajya Sabha from BJP uncontested. It is learnt that before Rathindra Basu withdrew his nomination, there were eight nominations for seven seats. Hence, an election process was due to be held. 

Now that he has withdrawn, that necessity for an election has ceased to exist. Saturday was the last day for withdrawing nominations. Meanwhile, TMC’s national spokesperson Saket Gokhale is also going to the Rajya Sabha uncontested from the seat which had fallen vacant due to the resignation of Louzinho Faleiro whose tenure was till 2026. The Election Commission had earlier announced a bypoll for this seat. 

 https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/no-elections-for-rs-as-bjp-dummy-candidate-withdraws-nomination-525792