Rajya Sabha MP Swapan Dasgupta has resigned from the House amid criticism from the opposition parties over his candidature to contest Assembly elections in West Bengal on a BJP ticket, news agency ANI reported. His resignation has been sent to the Chairman of the House. The Chairman is yet to accept his resignation.
Dasgupta, well-known for writing columns in English dailies, was a nominated member of the Rajya Sabha. The BJP has fielded him from Tarakeshwar seat in Hooghly district.
"Honoured to be nominated by the West Bengal BJP to contest from Tarakeshwara centre of Bengals cultural heritage. I look forward to the campaign for a new, vibrant Sonar Bangla," he had tweeted.
Opposition parties, especially the Trinamool Congress, was demanding disqualification of Dasgupta from Rajya Sabha’s membership.The TMC cited the 10th Schedule of the Constitution to seek Dasgupta's disqualification. The 10th Schedule of the Constitution says that a nominated Rajya Sabha member stands to be disqualified if he or she joins any political party.
"If he (Dasgupta) files nomination as a BJP candidate, he should be disqualified according to the Constitution’s 10th Schedule," TMC leader Mahua Moitra tweeted.
In April 2016, Dasgupta was nominated by then President Pranab Mukherjee to the Rajya Sabha. He was awarded Padma Bhushan in 2015.
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