BJP's Swapan Dasgupta renominated to Rajya Sabha after Bengal poll defeat

He had earlier quit his Rajya Sabha MP post in order to contest the state elections where he lost.

Following this, the government renominated him to the post.

In a notification, the Home Ministry on Tuesday evening read: "In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-clause (a) of clause (1) of article 80 of the Constitution of India, read with clause (3) of that article, the President is pleased to renominate Shri Swapan Dasgupta to the Council of States to fill the seat which has fallen vacant due to his resignation for his reminder term viz - 24-04-2022".

The President nominates renowned personalities to the Upper House of the Parliament on the advice of the government.

The nominated members are selected from fields such as literature, science, sports, art and social service.

Reacting to Dasgupta's renomination, senior Congress leader and former Union minister Jairam Ramesh tweeted: "I think this is the FIRST time since the Rajya Sabha came into being in 1952 that such a thing has happened."

Dasgupta had contested unsuccessfully from Bengal's Tarakeswar, which is a Trinamool Congress stronghold, on a BJP ticket in the recently concluded assembly polls.