BJP Releases Candidate List for Rajya Sabha By-Elections in West Bengal

The BJP has released its list of candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha by-elections in West Bengal. The party has nominated Sushmita Dev, Sukhendu Sekhar Roy and Prakash Baraik. All three leaders had defected to the BJP earlier today. All three Rajya Sabha MPs had resigned from the Upper House of Parliament last month. In West Bengal, BJP state president and Rajya Sabha member Samik Bhattacharya welcomed the three leaders (Sukhendu Sekhar Roy, Sushmita Dev and Prakash Chik Baraik) and handed them the party flag ahead of the assembly elections. Bhattacharya clarified that allowing Roy, Dev and Baraik to join the BJP should be considered an exception. He said this did not mean that the BJP would open its doors to any Trinamool member, but stressed that the record of the three leaders was unblemished and there were no allegations of corruption against them while in the Trinamool. Ever since they joined the BJP, Sukhendu Sekhar Bhattacharya had resigned as a Rajya Sabha candidate.