TMC nominates former Goa CM Luizinho Faleiro to Rajya Sabha

Former Goa Chief Minister and currently national vice president of the Trinamool Congress Luizinho Faleiro was on Saturday nominated by the party to a Rajya Sabha seat from West Bengal.

The TMC, which is gearing up for the upcoming state legislative assembly polls, in an official statement said that the appointment of Faleiro to the Rajya Sabha would help give "stronger representation to Goa at the national level".

"We are extremely pleased to nominate @luizinhofaleiro to the Upper House of the Parliament. We are confident that his efforts towards serving the nation shall be appreciated widely by our people!" TMC's official handle also tweeted.

Faleiro, a former Congress party veteran, who has served as the Chief Minister of Goa on two occasions had triggered tremors in state politics after he joined the Trinamool Congress in September this year.

Also Read | Mahua Moitra appointed TMC’s Goa unit in-charge

Reacting to the development, state Congress president Girish Chodankar said that Faleiro had accepted a "retirement package" from the TMC and that the Rajya Sabha seat was proof of that.

Bypoll to the lone West Bengal Rajya Sabha seat is expected to be held on November 29.

While initially the buzz around his entry to the Trinamool Congress suggested that he would be fielded as the party's chief ministerial candidate, party sources now claim that Faleiro, who has previously served as the All India Congress Committee general secretary in-charge of the North Eastern states would come in handy for the TMC, which is keen on expanding in the eastern region.

"Faleiro's experience as an overseer for the north eastern states would help us build in the party there, especially in Tripura and Manipur, which is heading for polls," a party source said. Trinamool Congress has also roped in Indian Olympic medal winner Leander Paes, who is being billed as the party's key face for the polls. Though born in Kolkata, Paes' father Vece hails from Goa.

Meanwhile, the TMC on Saturday, also appointed its firebrand Lok Sabha MP Mahua Moitra, as its Goa in-charge for Goa, which is headed for polls in early 2022.

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