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The Trinamool Congress announced its candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections, including Minister Babul Supriyo, erstwhile Bengal DGP Rajeev Kumar, elder advocator Menaka Guruswamy and histrion Koel Mallick connected Friday (February 27, 2026).
“We widen our heartfelt congratulations and champion wishes to them. May they proceed to uphold Trinamool’s enduring bequest of resilience and its unwavering committedness to safeguarding the rights and dignity of each Indian,” the Trinamool Congress posted connected societal media.
Among the candidates, the astir notable sanction was Menaka Guruswamy, who, if elected, would go the country’s archetypal openly queer Member of Parliament.
Who is Menaka Guruswamy?
Ms. Guruswamy is simply a elder advocator astatine the Supreme Court of India, recognised for her unprecedented contributions to quality rights advocacy successful the country. One of her astir notable achievements was her engagement successful the landmark law situation against Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) dealing with same-sex relations. This provision, successful effect since the assemblage era, has agelong been a root of favoritism and stigma against the LGBTQ+ assemblage successful India.
In 2018, the Supreme Court of India delivered a historical judgement that decriminalised homosexuality by striking down portion of Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code. Ms. Guruswamy, on with different dedicated lawyers, was instrumental successful this ineligible battle, arguing for the designation of idiosyncratic rights and dignity and emphasising that emotion and consensual relationships betwixt adults should not beryllium taxable to transgression sanctions.
The judgement was, indisputably, a defining infinitesimal successful the LGBTQ+ rights question successful India.
Beyond her ineligible work, Ms. Guruswamy’s idiosyncratic beingness besides reflects her advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights. After the decriminalisation ruling, she publically revealed her narration with chap advocator Arundhati Katju.
By openly sharing her relationship, Ms. Guruswamy became a vanguard of equality successful the LGBTQ community, promoting a much inclusive situation for discussions astir same-sex emotion and partnerships.
What are her likelihood of winning?
With numbers firmly stacked successful its favour, the ruling TMC is acceptable to triumph 4 of the 5 Rajya Sabha seats from West Bengal, portion the absorption BJP is expected to unafraid one, arsenic the announcement of the predetermination docket acceptable disconnected governmental manoeuvring and administrative preparations up of a high-stakes electoral season.
Given the existent arithmetic successful the 294-member Assembly, Ms. Menaka's chances of making it look mostly pre-determined unless immoderate enactment fields an further candidate. Such a determination would not lone trigger a contention but could besides inject immoderate much-needed governmental play conscionable weeks earlier West Bengal heads into its assembly predetermination campaign.
The biennial polls for the 5 seats, portion of elections to 37 Rajya Sabha seats crossed 10 states, volition beryllium held connected March 16.
