I have nothing to lose; in politics to set example for next generation, says Dev

KOLKATA: In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Trinamool Congress’ (TMC) celebrity candidate Dev faced BJP’s Bharati Ghosh and won convincingly. This time, the Ghatal constituency is in the spotlight due to its high-profile contenders from the Bengali film industry. TMC has once again placed their trust on ‘good boy’ Dev, while BJP has fielded Bengali actor and Kharagpur MLA, Hiranmoy Chattopadhyay.

The 2024 Lok Sabha election has been different for Dev. He agreed to run for a third term only after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee promised that the Ghatal Master Plan would be implemented by the state government without relying on the Centre.

Throughout the campaign, Dev has also had to deal with harsh language and corruption accusations from his BJP opponent, Hiran. “I have nothing to lose. I entered politics to educate and enlighten. I want to demonstrate that politics can be conducted without harsh language, which has become prevalent in Indian politics today. Politics is about the next generation, so it’s crucial to consider the example I set for them.

Will the youth be interested in my political speeches? And if I refrain from using rough language, what will they learn from it? Should I spread hatred or focus on development?”

he said The Ghatal Lok Sabha constituency, which goes to poll on Saturday, is one of the most crucial battlegrounds, with both TMC and BJP campaigning intensely to win over voters. Just two days before the election, BJP opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari accused Dev of taking money from a relative of cattle smuggling accused and accepting expensive gifts. Dev denied these claims, saying he only took a loan from a firm for his film production in 2022, which he has repaid, and that he didn’t receive any gifts from third parties.

“I felt sad that Suvendu da had to stoop so low to save Hiran. If BJP ever wins, Suvendu da might become CM. But even though nobody, not even BJP leaders, wants Hiran to win, Suvendu is doing everything to ensure Hiran’s victory in Ghatal because he gave him the ticket,” said Dev.

“Despite BJP and Hiran’s attempts to tarnish my reputation, I’ve remained dignified. Over the past three months, my only focus has been on connecting with people and earning their love,” he said.

Dev’s rallies have consistently attracted a large turnout of common people, including both youngsters and the elderly. As Ghatal heads to the polls in the sixth phase of the Lok Sabha elections 2024, it’s clear that a fierce electoral contest will unfold between the major political parties. The ultimate question remains: which actor-politician will earn the trust of Ghatal’s voters?