KOLKATA – The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is gearing up to announce its sole candidate for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections from West Bengal by the first week of March. With five seats falling vacant in the Upper House from the state by late April, the political landscape is heating up in the eastern state.
Trinamool Congress (TMC), riding high on its majority in the West Bengal Assembly, is poised to secure four of these seats effortlessly. BJP, however, is confident of clinching one through strategic maneuvering and support from like-minded parties.
Party insiders reveal that deliberations are underway on three frontrunners for the nomination. Mega-star Mithun Chakraborty tops the list, followed by former Lok Sabha MP and actress-turned-politician Locket Chatterjee. The third contender is Dr. Ashok Kumar Lahiri, current BJP MLA from Balurghat and ex-Chief Economic Advisor to the Government of India.
This high-stakes decision comes amid escalating political rhetoric. BJP state president Dilip Ghosh launched a scathing attack on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, branding her administration as steeped in corruption. Speaking to reporters, Ghosh highlighted multiple graft cases and anti-national activities allegedly linked to the state government.
‘Bengal is riddled with corruption scandals,’ Ghosh asserted. He pointed to NIA probes into anti-national activities and recent ED raids at the IPAC office, where Banerjee allegedly intervened to shield secrets. ‘The way she rushed to the spot screams cover-up. Justice must be swift,’ he demanded.
Ghosh warned that public discontent is brewing against TMC’s governance. With elections on the horizon, he predicted a strong backlash from fed-up voters. As BJP finalizes its Rajya Sabha bet, the battle for Bengal’s political narrative intensifies, setting the stage for fiercer confrontations ahead.