POLITICS

Mamata nominates ex-DGP as TMC candidate for RS

In a surprise move, Mamata Banerjee led- TMC has announced the candidature of Babul Supriyo, Rajeev Kumar (Former DGP, West Bengal), Menaka Guruswamy and Koel Mallick for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections from West Bengal. Supriyo is a minister in the Mamata Cabinet, now his candidature is being seen as departure from Bengal. The TMC has not obliged the Congress.

Congress May Lose Lone Haryana RS Prospect To Factional Fight

The Congress is staring at the prospect of losing its only winnable Rajya Sabha seat from Haryana as an intensifying turf war between the Kumari Selja and Bhupinder Singh Hooda camps spills into candidate selection and coordination for the biennial polls. Despite an arithmetical advantage on paper, the high command’s struggle to balance Dalit-Jat equations and accommodate both factions has revived memories of past cross-voting and sabotage, when internal rifts cost the party a sure-shot Haryana Rajya Sabha berth. With neither side willing to concede space and Delhi wary of deepening the divide, the Congress could effectively gift the seat to a BJP-backed nominee or independent this round as well.