9 film personalities, one footballer, one cricketer figure in TMC's candidate list

Kolkata: A host of Tollywood film stars and sports personalities have figured in the Trinamool Congress' (TMC) list of candidates for the ensuing Assembly elections, announced by the party supremo Mamata Banerjee on Friday.

About 9 film personalities, one footballer, one cricketer and actor Chiranjeet Chakraborty—who is a sitting MLA— also figured in the candidates' list that was announced

by Banerjee.

Earlier, she had also picked veteran film personalities as well as reigning silver screen stars both for the Parliament and Assembly elections adding glamour to the poll arena. All the cine stars who are going to contest for the forthcoming Assembly elections said that they would go to the people emphasizing the development workers carried out by the Mamata Banerjee government in the past two terms.

Echoing the same voice, the Tollywood actors said that they would work as a trusted lieutenant of Banerjee.

Actor Saayoni Ghosh has been fielded from Asansol South in West Burdwan district while film director Raj Chakraborty has become the Trinamool Congress for Barrackpore. Actor Soham Chakraborty is going to contest from Chandipur in East Midnapore, Sayantika Bandyopadhyay from Bankura, June Maliah from Midnapore, Koushani Mukhopadhyay from Krishnanagar North.

Popular comedian Kanchan Mullick will contest from Uttarpara in Hooghly on Trinamool Congress' ticket while Lovely Moitra is contesting from Sonarpur South.

Trinamool Congress has fielded singing heartthrob Aditi Munshi as its candidate from Rajarhat Gopalpur. Santhali actress Birbaha Hansda, a popular face in the region will contest from Jhargram. Most of the cine personalities have joined Trinamool Congress in the

recent past.

Apart from cine stars, the names of cricketer Manoj Tiwari and footballer Bidesh Bose have also featured in the Trinamool Congress' candidates list. Tiwari will contest from Shibpur in Howrah while Bose will fight his

electoral battle from Uluberia North.

"Barrackpore is a known place for me as I had spent a lot of time in these areas and had grown up. I had spent my college life in Naihati. Even the streets of Barrackpore are familiar to me and I know the problems of the people in this area as well. I request all not to look upon me as a star candidate but as a lieutenant of Mamata Banerjee. I would like to work to fulfill the vision of Banerjee," Raj Chakraborty said adding: "Cinema and politics both speak about society. It does not matter which profession someone belongs to but what it matters whether someone wants to work for the people. We would not do the politics that prompts someone to hurl abusive language on others."

"Didi (Banerjee) has told us to set an example by doing work for the people. She said that we have fresh blood and we have to work for people by standing by their side. We will go to the people as Didi's messenger. I would like to devote my 150 per cent. Some people say that I appear to be left minded. I have some reservations regarding such remarks. I never joined any of their programmes. Working for the people must be looked upon as a profession not as a social service," Saayoni

Ghosh said.

Soham Chakraborty said: "I express my gratitude to Mamata Banerjee for entrusting me. I will try to deliver. No states have seen so many development works that the Mamata Banerjee government has done in the past 10 years. We know how people have benefitted from these schemes while the Centre only made fake promises. The price of petrol, diesel is skyrocketing."

Veteran film actor Chiranjeet Chakraborty sitting MLA from Barasat will contest from the same constituency while Debashree Roy has been dropped as a candidate this time.