Thursday, June 30 2005 16:54 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kolkata: In a surprise move, Trinamool Congress today (Jun 30, 2005) fielded Swapan Sadhan Bose, president of Mohun Bagan football club and editor of a Bengali daily, as its candidate for the Rajya Sabha elections in West Bengal.

Bose, the president of Mohun Bagan since 1995, was chosen by party chief Mamata Banerjee though there were reportedly many RS aspirants among her party colleagues.

"We have given him nomination to give due respect to sports and media. He will be given party membership and he will contest as a Trinamool Congress candidate," Banerjee told sources in Kolkata.

Banerjee said the choice of Bose, who is the editor of leading Kolkata-based Bengali daily 'Pratidin', was unanimous.

He is one of the two Asian members in the first ever FIFA Club Task Force constituted by the world soccer governing body.

Bose is also the honorary consul of Czech Republic in Kolkata.

Six seats will fall vacant from the State where elections will be held.

The Left Front has already fielded four candidates. CPM (Communist Party of India Marxist) politburo members Sitaram Yechury and Brinda Karat have been nominated to contest from West Bengal. Another CPM politburo member Chittabrata Majumder was re-nominated to contest.

Left Front partner RSP (Rashtriya Samajwadi Party), has renominated Abani Roy for the fourth seat.

Trinamool Congress, the main Opposition, is eligible to put up a candidate for the fifth seat.

Left Front has also decided to support noted economist and chairman of the National Commission for Enterprise in the Working Sector (NCEWS) Arjun Sengupta as an independent candidate for the sixth seat.