The Trinamool Congress on Saturday announced Ritabrata Banerjee as the nominee for the upcoming by-election for a Rajya Sabha seat in Bengal.

The bypoll has been necessitated by the resignation of TMC Rajya Sabha member Jawhar Sircar in the wake of the rape and murder of a junior doctor at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Calcutta and the subsequent protests which rocked the state.

If required, the bypoll will be held on December 20.

Ritabrata is the state president of the INTTUC, the trade union of Trinamool.

Abhishek Banerjee, the national general secretary of the TMC, appreciated Ritabrata.

“This recognition is truly well-deserved, reflecting the tireless effort @RitabrataBanerj has invested in strengthening the organization and advocating for trade union workers across WB. While it may take time but commitment, performance and hard work are always rewarded in the end,” Abhishek wrote on X.

Ritabrata has been working across the state to strengthen different workers' unions affiliated with the INTTUC.

If Ritabrata makes it to the Upper House, it will be his second stint in the Rajya Sabha.

In 2014, the young leader was nominated to the Rajya Sabha by the CPM. He had been with the CPM till 2017 and was expelled from the party later.