KOLKATA: Bengali actress Parno Mittra joined TMC on Friday ahead of the 2026 assembly elections. Mittra, who had joined the BJP in 2019 and even contested the 2021 assembly election from Baranagar on a BJP ticket, joined the ruling party at Trinamool Bhawan in the presence of state finance minister Chandrima Bhattacharya and senior TMC leader Jay Prakash Majumdar. She had lost the 2021 election to then TMC MLA Tapas Roy, who later switched to the BJP.
The ‘Onko Ki Kothin’ actress said she was inspired by CM Mamata Banerjee’s work, particularly her commitment to the upliftment of women in Bengal through various welfare schemes.
“I have joined TMC because of our CM. She is doing incredible work for the people of Bengal, especially women. She has launched numerous welfare schemes for women’s empowerment, and I would like to work with her,” Mittra said.
The ‘Ranjana Ami Ar Ashbona’ actress admitted that joining the BJP six years ago was a mistake. She said she had a different perception at the time and believed she would get an opportunity to work for the people of Bengal. “People do make mistakes. This is my time to correct the mistake of joining the BJP,” she added.
“In 2019, several Bengali TV actors had joined the BJP ahead of the 2021 assembly elections, and many of them are no longer associated with the party. Parno expressed her desire to join the TMC and work for the people of the state and it was acknowledged by the party supremo and CM Mamata Banerjee,” Majumdar said. Meanwhile, soon after the actress announced her switch to the TMC, netizens criticised the trend of party-hopping by political leaders and public figures ahead of elections.