The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today announced the nomination of three former Trinamool Congress (TMC) Rajya Sabha MPs, Sushmita Dev, Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, and Prakash Chik Baraik, as its candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha bypolls from West Bengal. The announcement came just hours after the leaders formally joined the party at its Salt Lake headquarters in Kolkata.
The party announced the decision after BJP’s Central Election Committee approved the names. Earlier in the day, West Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya welcomed the trio into the party by presenting them BJP flags amid senior leaders and media presence.
भारतीय जनता पार्टी की केन्द्रीय चुनाव समिति ने पश्चिम बंगाल में होने वाले राज्यसभा के उप-चुनाव 2026 हेतु निम्नलिखित नामों पर अपनी स्वीकृति प्रदान की है। pic.twitter.com/dTm6enYFjt
— BJP (@BJP4India) July 9, 2026
The three leaders had resigned from the TMC and their Rajya Sabha seats in June 2026 following the party’s defeat in the West Bengal Assembly elections. Their exits created vacancies, prompting the Election Commission of India (ECI) to announce bypolls on July 6, 2026. The gazette notification for the polls were issued on July 7, 2026, and the last date for filing nominations is July 14, 2026. Scrutiny of nominations will be held on July 15, 2026, and last date for withdrawal of candidatures on July 17, 2026.
Polling is scheduled for July 24, 2026, with counting of votes taking place on the same day. The entire process is expected to conclude by July 29, 2026.
With the BJP commanding a strong majority in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly with 207 out of 294 seats, the party is expected to secure all three Rajya Sabha seats. The TMC has lost over 60 of its 80 MLAs to rival faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee in the assembly.
