RS poll: After Mithun, Trinamool names three more

After Bollywood actor Mithun Chakraborty, West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress Sunday named three more people, including famed painter Jogen Chowdhury, as its candidates for the Feb 7 Rajya Sabha elections.

"As per our strength in the electoral college, the Trinamool can easily bag four of the five Rajya Sabha seats from West Bengal. Accordingly, besides Chakraborty, we have unanimously resolved to nominate three more members," party general secretary Mukul Roy told media persons here.

The three are painter Chowdhury, Bengali daily Kalom's editor Ahmed Hassan, and the party's Rajya Sabha member from Jharkhand, K.D. Singh.

"Singh has one and a half years more of his membership but we want him to represent West Bengal as he has been working for the state for long," added Roy.

Singh was elected to the Rajya Sabha on a Jharkhand Mukti Morcha ticket but later joined the Trinamool.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Saturday announced the nomination of actor Mithun Chakraborty.

The Rajya Sabha elections for 55 seats across 16 states are scheduled Feb 7. While the notification will be published Jan 21, the last date for filing nominations is Jan 28. The term of the sitting 55 MPs ends April 2.