Swapan Dasgupta resigns from Rajya Sabha, TMC to move disqualification notice

Kolkata: Amid move from the TMC demanding cancellation of nomination for BJP candidate Swapan Dasgupta for being a nominated Rajya Sabha member, the BJP leader on Tuesday resigned from the Upper House.

BJP nominated Dasgupta to contest from the Tarakeswar assembly seat in the Hooghly district of West Bengal.

The Trinamool Congress has decided to move the disqualification notice against Rajya Sabha nominated MP Swapan Dasgupta for “violating the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution”, after the BJP named his candidature for the Tarakeswar seat.

" The Tenth Schedule of the Constitution says a nominated member of Parliament shall be disqualified if he or she joins a political party after the expiry of six months from the date of taking the seat," TMC MP from Krishnangar Mahua Moitra wrote on her Twitter account citing the 10th scheduled of the Indian Consitution.

However, the latest update on said Swapan Dasgupta on Tuesday resigned as a Rajya Sabha member as he sent his resignation letter to the Rajya Sabha Chairperson Venkaiah Naidu.

The development happed hours after the TMC raised objections to his nomination as an assembly polls candidate from the BJP.

Ms Moitra said Swapan Dasgupta could be disqualified for filing a nomination as a BJP candidate under the 10th Schedule of the Constitution.

The Tenth Schedule of the Constitution says a nominated member of Parliament shall be disqualified if he or she joins a political party after the expiry of six months from the date of taking the seat.

The BJP on Sunday named Dasgupta to contest from Tarakeshwar constituency in the assembly polls, which to an eight-phase beginning 27 March.

However, a report said that the Rajya Secretariat confirmed that Dasgupta continued to be a nominated member. “He has not intimated the secretariat about joining BJP,” the source said.

Ms Moitra said they would move a disqualification notice against the MP. “Trinamool Congress will file a petition before Rajya Sabha chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu seeking Dasgupta’s disqualification,” she said.(UNI)