New Delhi, February 28 Senior advocate Menaka Guruswamy, one of the candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections fielded by the TMC, said on Saturday that she aims to uphold the values of equality, fraternity, and non-discrimination during her term as a Member of Parliament.
In a post on X on Saturday, Guruswamy said she looks forward to representing the people of West Bengal and serving the people of India.
"I am deeply honoured to be nominated to the Rajya Sabha by the All India Trinamool Congress. I am grateful to the Hon'ble Chief Minister of West Bengal, Ms. Mamata Banerjee, for having faith in me," she said.
"The values of equality, fraternity, and non-discrimination enshrined in our Constitution have guided my life and work. I hope to carry these ideals forward into Parliament."
"I look forward to representing the interests of the people of West Bengal and to serve 'We the People' of India," she added.
Guruswamy is a senior advocate of the Supreme Court, who was among the lawyers representing petitioners in the landmark constitutional challenge that led to the decriminalisation of homosexuality in India through the reading down of Section 377 of the IPC in 2018.
Her induction is seen as an attempt to strengthen the TMC's constitutional articulation and to bolster its voice within the opposition INDIA bloc.
The TMC announced four candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha polls on Friday, as five West Bengal seats are set to fall vacant. Besides Guruswamy, singer-turned-politician Babul Supriyo, former West Bengal DGP Rajeev Kumar, and actor Koel Mallick will also be their candidates.
In all, the Election Commission has issued notifications for 37 Rajya Sabha seats across 10 states. Polling has been scheduled for March 16, with nominations open until March 5.
