Mamata backs Congress nominee Abhishek Manu Singhvi for RS

In a development that is likely to have far-reaching political implications, both at the national and State level, Trinamool Congress chairperson and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday announced her party’s support to the Congress’ Rajya Sabha nominee Abhishek Manu Singhvi.

Ms. Banerjee made the announcement hours after State Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said that Mr. Singhvi would be the party’s nominee from the State for the Rajya Sabha seat.

This also signals a fresh political alignment, as the Congress and the Left Front were in talks for fielding a joint non-political candidate for the Rajya Sabha seat.

Mr Singhvi represented the West Bengal government in the Narada scam and also when the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha president Bimal Gurung approached the Supreme Court over cases lodged against him by the State government.

“We are supporting him because he has worked with us for the greater interest of the State,” Ms. Banerjee said.