TMC backed Independent candidate’s RS nomination cancelled

The nomination of Trinamool Congress (TMC) backed Independent candidate Dinesh Bajaj for the Rajya Sabha elections was cancelled on Tuesday due to flawed affidavit.

“ My nomination was cancelled as my affidavit was not notarized,” Bajaj told journalists. His nomination was cancelled by the returning officer.

There will be no need for voting for the fifth Rajya Sabha seat in West Bengal as a result of the cancellation of Bajaj’s affidavit. It has also virtually ensured the victory of the Congress-backed CPI(M) candidate Bikashranjan Bhattacharyya.

However, the nomination of TMC candidate Mausam Benazir Noor was accepted in the hearing on Tuesday. Her nomination was questioned by the Left and Congress over how she spelt her name in the related documents.

Left and Congress alleged that in Noor affidavit she has written her name as “Mausam Noor” while in the voter list it was mentioned as “Mausam Benazir Noor.”

Speaking to journalists Bhattacharyya alleged that BJP and TMC had a covert understanding to foil the Left and Congress’s joint bid for the fifth Rajya Sabha seat in West Bengal by resorting to horse-trading.

“BJP and TMC formed a covert understanding between them to foil the Left and Congress’ joint bid for the (fifth) Rajaya Sabha seat in West Bengal by resorting to horse-trading,” said Bhattacharyya.

He also said that the Election Commission has rejected Bajaj’s nomination as per law.

“We have noticed that Dinesh Bajaj’s nomination was illegal as he did not file an affidavit in proper format. We are happy that the Election Commission has rejected his nomination as per law,” said Bhattacharyya.

Apart from Bajaj four TMC candidates Surbrata Bakshi, Mausam Benazir Noor, Dinesh Trivedi and Arpita Ghosh along with Congress backed CPI(M) candidate Bhattacharyya have submitted a nomination for the Rajya Sabha elections. The elections are scheduled to be held on March 26.