New Delhi, Jun 1 (IANS): Exercising his powers, President Ram Nath Kovind has renominated journalist-cum-politician Swapan Dasgupta as an 'independent' Rajya Sabha MP, two-and-a-half months after he had resigned from the post following a row over his candidature as a BJP nominee in the Assembly elections in West Bengal.

A gazette notification issued on Monday made it public that Dasgupta has been renominated by the President to fill the seat which fell vacant due to his resignation. Dasgupta's term was scheduled to end on April 24, 2022.

The 65-year-old leader has a particular status in the Rajya Sabha as a presidential nominee.

Dasgupta was nominated to the Rajya Sabha in April 2016. On March 14, he was named by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as its candidate from the Tarakeswar Assembly constituency in West Bengal. he had lost the elections to Ramendu Sinharay of the Trinamool Congress.

"In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-clause (a) of clause (l) of Article 80 of the Constitution of India, read with clause (3) of that article, the President is pleased to re-nominate Swapan Dasgupta to the Councill of States to fill the seat which has fallen vacant due to his resignation for his remainder term till April 24, 2022," the notification mentions.