Swapan Dasgupta resigns from Rajya Sabha

Swapan Dasgupta, a BJP candidate for the Bengal election, has resigned from the Rajya Sabha a day after the Trinamool Congress cited constitutional rules to say a nominated member of the upper house could not join a political party. Dasgupta has been fielded by the BJP from the Tarakeshwar Assembly constituency in Hooghly district.

Officials from the Rajya Sabha secretariat told HT that they have received Dasgupta’s letter. A senior BJP leader also confirmed that Dasgupta has resigned.

Swapan Dasgupta has reportedly sent his resignation with the request that it be accepted by tomorrow. His term was till April 2022.

"I have a particular status in the Rajya Sabha as a presidential nominee. I am contesting this election as a BJP candidate from Tarakeshwar. Naturally, between two things, there are a lot of outstanding issues. The nomination process involves resolving all these. And all these issues will be resolved by the time I file my nomination. I haven't yet filed my nomination. I hope to do so either on Thursday or on Friday," Mr Dasgupta told NDTV.

The TMC had decided to move a disqualification notice against Dasgupta for “violating the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution”, after the BJP gave him ticket to contest. 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 announced Sunday that Dasgupta would be the party’s candidate from Tarakeshwar constituency in Bengal.

The reason why the TMC had called for Dasgupta's disqualification is that he is a nominated member of the Rajya Sabha and not officially affiliated with any party.

Moitra yesterday raised the matter and tweeted the Tenth Schedule to drive home the point. Referring to point number 3, she tweeted: “A nominated member of a House shall be disqualified for being a member of the House if he joins any political party after the expiry of six months from the date on which he takes his seat after complying with the requirements of article 99, or, as the case may be, article 188.”

Dasgupta was a nominated member of the Rajya Sabha, in 2016, and was awarded Padma Bhushan in 2015 for his contribution to Literature and Education.