KOLKATA — In a historic move that could redefine representation in the Indian Parliament, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) announced its slate of candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections on Friday evening, February 27, 2026. The list features a high-profile mix of political veterans, a controversial former police chief, a celebrated actress, and a pioneering legal mind. The nominees include state minister Babul Supriyo, former West Bengal Director General of Police (DGP) Rajiv Kumar, renowned actress Koel Mallick, and senior Supreme Court advocate Menaka Guruswamy.
The nomination of Menaka Guruswamy has garnered significant national attention as she is a prominent member of the LGBTQ+ community. Should she be elected, Guruswamy would become the first openly LGBTQ+ individual to serve as a Member of Parliament in India’s history. A 50-year-old legal scholar with degrees from Oxford University, Harvard Law School, and the National Law School of India, Guruswamy is best known for her pivotal role in the 2018 legal battle that led to the decriminalization of homosexuality in India. She and her partner, Arundhati Katju, were named among TIME magazine’s 100 most influential people in 2019 for their advocacy.
The list also rewards political loyalty and strategic influence. Babul Supriyo, a former Union Minister who defected from the BJP to join the TMC in 2021, has been nominated in what many see as an acknowledgement of his contributions to the party’s state cabinet. Alongside him is Rajiv Kumar, the former DGP of West Bengal and ex-Kolkata Police Commissioner. Kumar’s tenure was often marked by high-profile face-offs between the state and central agencies, particularly during the Sarada chit fund investigation, making his transition into the upper house a significant political move for Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
Adding a touch of star power to the delegation is Koel Mallick, one of the most beloved figures in the Bengali film industry. As the daughter of veteran actor Ranjit Mallick, her nomination follows the TMC’s long-standing tradition of sending respected public figures from the arts into the legislature to bolster the party’s cultural appeal.
The elections, scheduled for March 16, 2026, will fill five vacant seats from West Bengal. Given the TMC’s commanding majority in the 294-member state assembly, the party is comfortably positioned to secure four of these seats, while the opposition BJP is expected to claim the remaining one. Nationally, 37 seats across ten states—including Maharashtra, Odisha, and Bihar—are up for grabs as terms expire this April.
According to the schedule released by the Election Commission of India, the official notification will be issued on February 26, with the deadline for nominations set for March 5. Following scrutiny and the withdrawal period, voting will take place on March 16, with results announced that same evening. The entire electoral process is expected to be finalized by March 20, marking a new chapter for the Upper House.
