Rajya Sabha polls underway in West Bengal

Kolkata, March 23: Voting was underway here on Friday to elect five Rajya Sabha members from West Bengal.

Six candidates are in the fray for the biennial election to the Upper House of Parliament.

The Trinamool Congress has nominated four candidates -- sitting member Nadimul Haque and first time nominees Subhasish Chakraborty, Abir Biswas and Santanu Sen.

The Trinamool has also lent its backing to Congress's sole candidate Abhishek Manu Singhvi.

As per the Trinamool strategy, the party's excess votes would be given to Singhvi after ensuring the victory of its own four candidates.

Senior CPI-M leader Rabin Deb, backed by the Left Front, is also in the fray.