BJP names 5 candidates for West Bengal's 7 Rajya Sabha seats

The forthcoming elections in West Bengal will determine the outcome of seven Rajya Sabha seats, with six being by-elections and one a regular election.

The Trinamool Congress is expected to secure five out of the six seats, given their majority with over 213 MLAs in the state. The remaining seat is likely to be won by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has nominated five candidates for the election.

Party insiders have revealed that a list of long-standing and dedicated members has been compiled, excluding individuals who have previously been disloyal or pursued personal political goals. The BJP leadership in the state has emphasized that many individuals sent to the Rajya Sabha in the past failed to effectively contribute to the party due to prioritizing personal ambitions. Hence, the current list focuses on loyal party members with a strong commitment to the party's principles. The final approval of the candidates will be granted by the central leadership, specifically Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.

It is worth highlighting that the BJP currently holds approximately 70 MLAs in the Bengal Legislative Assembly. To secure a Rajya Sabha seat, the support of at least 49 MLAs is required. Therefore, only one candidate can be elected to the Rajya Sabha. Interestingly, the last time a representative from Bengal was sent to the Rajya Sabha on behalf of the saffron camp was in 1952 when Dev Prasad Ghosh, a member of the Jana Sangh (the precursor to the BJP), served as a representative. Now, after a gap of 71 years, a BJP candidate is set to enter the Rajya Sabha from Bengal.