By IANS,
Kolkata : The Congress party is to contest the coming Rajya Sabha polls in West Bengal, state Congress president Pradip Bhattacharya said here Sunday.
“Our high command has communicated to me that the Congress will put up a candidate in the coming Rajya Sabha polls in West Bengal. Abdul Mannan is our likely nominee,” said the West Bengal Pradesh Congress president.
Asked whether there was a connection between Trinamool Congress leader Dinesh Trivedi agreeing to resign as railway minister and the Congress deciding to field a candidate to the upper house of parliament from West Bengal, Bhattacharya said: “One should not look at this development in this way.”
On whether the Trinamool could withdraw one of its candidates and extend support to Mannan, Bhattacharya said “it is too premature”.
On Friday, the Trinamool announced the names of union minister of state Mukul Roy and journalists Kunal Ghosh, Mohammed Nadim-ul-Haq and Vivek Gupta as its candidates for the Rajya Sabha polls.
On March 30, five Rajya Sabha members from the state would be elected to fill up vacancies arising April 2.
According to the arithmetic in the assembly, Trinamool with 185 seats can elect three members to the upper house of parliament.
In order to send its fourth candidate, it has to depend on the support of alliance partner Congress which has 42 assembly members.
A candidate needs 49 votes to cross the finishing line in the Rajya Sabha race in West Bengal.
The Left Front with 61 seats had already re-nominated Centre of Indian Trade Unions secretary Tapan Sen.