Rajya Sabha member of Parliament Swapan Dasgupta on Tuesday resigned from the Upper House amid attacks from the Trinamool Congress over his move to contest the West Bengal Assembly elections scheduled between March 27 and April 29, reports ANI. Dasgupta’s name was announced as the BJP candidate from Tarakeshwar assembly constituency on Sunday.

Mahua Moitra, the Lok Sabha lawmaker of the Trinamool Congress, citing the Constitution had earlier tweeted that the BJP candidate and former
journalist Dasgupta must be disqualified from Parliament’s Upper House
as stipulated under the 10th Schedule of the Constitution.

“Swapan Dasgupta is BJP candidate for WB polls.
10th Schedule of Constitution says nominated RS member to be disqualified if he joins any political party AFTER expiry of 6 months from oath.
He was sworn in April 2016, remains unallied.
Must be disqualified NOW for joining BJP,” the 45-year-old leader tweeted.

Following this up with a second tweet, she wrote, “Rajya Sabha website as of today says Swapan Dasgupta is nominated & not formally BJP. If he files nomination as @BJP candidate he should be disqualified according to the Constitution’s 10th Schedule.”

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As per Rajya Sabha official website, Dasgupta was nominated to the
Upper House by the President in 2016 and is not affiliated to any party currently.

“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”, notes paragraph
2(3) of the 10th Schedule of the Constitution of India.

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In a later tweet, the Trinamool Congress MP shared a screenshot of the
list of nominated members from the Rajya Sabha website.

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Dasgupta, who was fielded by the BJP as a candidate in the upcoming
Assembly Elections in West Bengal from the Tarakeshwar seat on March 14, has
not filed his nomination yet.