Swapan Dasgupta resigns as Rajya Sabha MP amid row over his name for Bengal polls
- BJP has fielded Swapan Dasgupta, one of its prominent faces in West Bengal, from the Tarakeshwar Assembly seat in Hoogly district
Columnist and nominated Rajya Sabha member Swapan Dasgupta on Tuesday tendered his resignation from Rajya Sabha or the upper house of Parliament after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) fielded him as a party candidate in the West Bengal Assembly elections.
Sources said that he has submitted his resignation to the Rajya Sabha Chairperson Venkaiah Naidu, asking it to be considered effective from Wednesday.
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Dasgupta, who became a Rajya Sabha member in April, 2016, has been named by the saffron party as its candidate from the Tarakeswar assembly seat in the poll-bound state.
This comes hours after the Trinamool Congress (TMC) raised objections to Dasgupta's nomination as an assembly polls candidate from the BJP.
TMC MP Mahua Moitra had said Dasgupta could be disqualified for filing nomination as a BJP candidate under the 10th Schedule of the Constitution.
Taking to Twitter, Mahua Moitra said, "Swapan Dasgupta is BJP candidate for WB polls. 10th Schedule of Constitution says nominated RS member to be disqualified if he joins any political party AFTER expiry of 6 months from oath. He was sworn in April 2016, remains unallied. Must be disqualified NOW for joining BJP."
In a series of tweets, Mahua Moitra attached the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution saying, "As of today, Dasgupta remains nominated and not a member of the BJP."
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Asked about his resignation, Dasgupta told news agency PTI that "I have always said whatever necessary steps will have to be taken will be done by me before I submit my nomination papers (for West Bengal polls).
His term as a Rajya Sabha member was till April 2022.
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