Rajya Sabha elections: TMC nominates journalist Sagarika Ghose, 3 others
What's the story
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Sunday announced the names of four candidates for this month's Rajya Sabha elections. Taking to X, the party—led by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee—named journalist Sagarika Ghose and TMC leaders Nadimul Haque, Mamata Bala Thakur, and Sushmita Dev as its candidates. Elections will be held for 56 seats, including five Bengal seats that will fall vacant in April.
Twitter Post
Check out TMC's post here
We are pleased to announce the candidature of @sagarikaghose, @SushmitaDevAITC, @MdNadimulHaque6 and Mamata Bala Thakur for the forthcoming Rajya Sabha elections.
— All India Trinamool Congress (@AITCofficial) February 11, 2024
We extend our heartfelt wishes to them and may they work towards upholding Trinamool’s enduring legacy of…
Sagarika Ghose
Political debut of Ghose: Who's she?
Notably, the TMC's announcement on Sunday marked Ghose's entry into politics. A prominent journalist-columnist, she is also a vocal critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government and its policies. Ghose pursued her education at New Delhi's St. Stephen's College before earning a Rhodes scholarship to the prestigious Oxford University. She has had a multifaceted print and TV media career over the past 30 years.
Forthcoming polls
Rajya Sabha elections for seats across 15 states
The biennial Rajya Sabha elections for 56 seats across 15 states, including five from West Bengal, will be held on February 27. The term of office for 50 Rajya Sabha members from 13 states will end on April 2, while the remaining six members from two states are due to retire on April 3.
Polling details
Seats from other states set to go to polls
Seats from other states slated for elections include Uttar Pradesh (10), Bihar (six), Maharashtra (six), Madhya Pradesh (five), Karnataka (four), and Gujarat (four). They also include Odisha (three), Andhra Pradesh (three), Telangana (three), Rajasthan (three), Uttarakhand (one), Himachal Pradesh (one), Chhattisgarh (one), and Haryana (one). The Rajya Sabha currently has 238 elected representatives, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) holding the most seats (93).