Derek O’Brien, Saket Gokhale among six Trinamool candidates for Rajya Sabha polls

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], July 10 (ANI): Trinamool Congress on Monday announced Derek O’Brien, Dola Sen, Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, Samirul Islam, Prakash Chik Baraik and Saket Gokhale will be its nominees for the biennial elections to Rajya Sabha.

“We take great pleasure in announcing the candidatures of Derek O’Brien, Dola Sen, Sukhendu Shekhar Ray, Samirul Islam, Prakash Chik Baraik, and Saket Gokhle for the forthcoming Rajya Sabha elections. May they persist in their dedication to serving the people and uphold Trinamool’s enduring legacy of indomitable spirit and advocacy for the rights of every Indian. We extend our heartfelt wishes to all,” the party said in a tweet.

The party has dropped Sushmita Dev and Shanti Chhetri who are due to retire. Gokhale is a Trinamool Congress spokesperson.

The Election Commission has announced the schedule for elthe ection to 10 Rajya Sabha seats in Goa, Gujarat and West Bengal to be held on July 24.

Ten members from Goa, Gujarat, and West Bengal are scheduled to retire in the months of July and August.

July 13 is the last date to file nominations for the vacant RS seats.

Union External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will file his nomination for Rajya Sabha from Gujarat’s Gandhinagar seat on Monday.

Jaishankar was elected to the Rajya Sabha from Gujarat in 2019.