TMC’s RS picks: Ex-DGP Rajeev Kumar, minister Babul Supriyo, actor Koel Mullick, SC lawyer Menaka Guruswamy

KOLKATA: Trinamool Congress on Friday pulled a surprise by nominating former DGP Rajeev Kumar, senior Supreme Court advocate Menaka Guruswamy, actor Koel Mullick, and Bengal IT minister Babul Supriyo for the Rajya Sabha elections on March 16 .

Given Trinamool's strength in the Bengal assembly, the quartet's elevation to Upper House appears to be a foregone conclusion. BJP is yet to announce its candidate for the fifth Rajya Sabha vacancy from the state. Only a sixth candidate nominated by either of the two parties can lead to an actual election.


While Trinamool has deviated from the beaten track in the past by sending non-political picks to Rajya Sabha, the party's nomination list on Friday — particularly Kumar, Guruswamy and Mullick — took everyone, even its party seniors, by surprise.

The four will replace party president Subrata Bakshi, Saket Gokhale, Ritabrata Banerjee and Mausam Noor, who returned to Congress last month.

According to party seniors, Bakshi had wanted to be relieved of his RS duties. However, it was widely expected that Gokhale and Ritabrata Banerjee, who did not serve full five-year terms having been elected mid-way, would be renominated. But the top brass had other plans. Ritabrata is tipped to receive a ticket for the upcoming assembly polls.

In a short post on X announcing the nominations, Trinamool officially said, "We extend our heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to them. May they continue to uphold Trinamool's enduring legacy of resilience and its unwavering commitment to safeguarding the rights and dignity of every Indian."

The fifth RS vacancy from Bengal, replacing CPM member and senior advocate Bikash Bhattacharya, will be filled by BJP. Given the Bengal assembly numbers, a candidate requires about 49 first-preference votes to win. Trinamool has 215 MLAs, with 12 more from BJP bolstering its ranks. BJP has 64 MLAs.

A computer science graduate from Roorkee, former DGP Kumar has been in the political crossfire since the erstwhile Left Front regime. His decision to take the political plunge has caught everyone by surprise. While IPS officers taking political plunge is not new in Bengal, Kumar is the first former DGP to contest RS polls on a ticket from the governing party just months after retirement. Bengal govt had sought an extension for him when Kumar retired on May 31 but the Centre refused.

Guruswamy, a prominent Supreme Court lawyer, has handled cases for CM Banerjee and Bengal govt. Her legal acumen has helped the administration navigate several legal labyrinths, starting with the RG Kar rape-murder case in Aug 2024. With the state locked in legal battles against Centre and central agencies in SC, Guruswamy has emerged as a legal pivot for both the state and Trinamool. She represented CM Mamata Banerjee and Rajeev Kumar in both SC and Calcutta High Court.

Actor Koel Mullick, daughter of veteran actor Ranjit Mullick, is a household name in the state. However, the Mullick family has traditionally stayed away from active politics. Party seniors said CM Banerjee is very affectionate toward her.

Babul Supriyo has earned CM Banerjee's praise for his work as the state IT minister. However, it was widely believed in party circles that he would not contest from Ballygunge a second time in 2026. Party seniors indicated Supriyo was not keen on an assembly ticket from any other seat either, which likely shaped his nomination to the Upper House.