Trinamool Livid As BJP Names Ananta Maharaj As Rajya Sabha Candidate From Bengal
[ad_1]
The BJP's resolution to appoint Ananta Rai 'Maharaj' -- who has been demanding that a separate state of "Higher Cooch Behar" be carved out of West Bengal -- as its candidate for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections, has set off a contemporary storm, with the ruling Trinamool Congress accusing the get together of fanning separatism within the state.
Ananta Rai stated on Tuesday that the BJP has supplied him a Rajya Sabha ticket after a gathering with Union Minister of State for Residence Nisith Pramanik.
"I'm pleased that they've chosen me. I'll attempt to serve the folks of the state and my area," he advised reporters after the information broke of his nomination by the BJP by way of a celebration notification from Delhi Wednesday morning.
Six Rajya Sabha seats from Bengal will go to the polls on July 24. A by-poll may even be held in one other seat from the state.
Mr Rai heads one of many GCPA factions, demanding that a separate state or Union Territory be carved out of northern West Bengal. He's believed to have appreciable say among the many Rajbanshi group of the North Bengal area, estimated to account for almost 30 per cent of the voters within the space.
The group is likely one of the largest Scheduled Caste communities of the state after Matuas in South Bengal.
"We imagine in taking all of the communities alongside and shifting ahead on the event path. We imagine within the beliefs of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas and Sabka Vishwas, '" BJP state spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya stated.
Reacting to the nomination, Trinamool MP and spokesperson Santanu Sen stated, "This solely proves that BJP followers separatist motion within the state".
"Now we have been saying for a very long time that the BJP is fanning a separatist motion in North Bengal and needs to divide the state. This growth solely proves the purpose. BJP ought to clearly say whether or not they need division of the state or not," he stated.
Rajbanshis are an vital electoral think about 4 out of the eight Lok Sabha seats in North Bengal. The BJP, in 2019, had bagged seven out of those eight parliamentary seats.
Political equations, nonetheless, have modified within the area within the final 4 years, with the Trinamool recovering a lot of the bottom in elements of North Bengal and Congress-Left mix rising as an alternative choice to the BJP.
With its eight districts, together with picturesque Darjeeling, north Bengal is economically vital for the state for its tea, timber and tourism industries. The area, which shares border with Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh, has witnessed a number of statehood actions because the early eighties by varied ethnic teams similar to Gorkhas, Rajbanshis, Kochs and Kamatapuris.
The Trinamool Congress on Monday introduced its candidates for six Rajya Sabha seats.
Amongst them are Derek O'Brien, Sukhendu Sekhar Ray and Dola Sen. Mr O'Brien, an MP since 2011, is the get together's chief in Rajya Sabha, whereas Mr Ray, who was first despatched to the Higher Home of Parliament in 2012, is the deputy chief whip. Ms Sen, a senior chief and commerce unionist, grew to become an MP in 2017.
The newcomers on the listing had been Bangla Sanskriti Mancha president Samirul Islam, Trinamool's Alipurduar district president Prakash Chik Baraik, and RTI activist and get together spokesperson Saket Gokhale.
A by-poll can be held in one other seat as former Goa chief minister Luizinho Faleiro resigned as a Trinamool MP in April.
The Trinamool has 216 MLAs within the 294-member meeting and enjoys the help of 5 BJP MLAs, who converted to the ruling get together however are but to resign from the Home. The BJP has a energy of 70 within the meeting.
As per the numbers within the meeting, the Trinamool will get six of those seven Rajya Sabha seats and the BJP one.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
[ad_2]
0 comments