‘Ghatal Master Plan will be a reality soon’

KOLKATA: After a week of uncertainty about TMC MP and popular actor Dev contesting from Ghatal, there’s been a change. At the success party of his recent Bengali film ‘Pradhan’ on Sunday evening, Dev confirmed that if he contests in the 2024 Lok Sabha election, it will be from Ghatal.

On Monday, at a meeting in Arambagh where he shared the stage with Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, Dev said that he has agreed to contest in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls because of ‘Didi’ (Mamata).

“It was Didi who brought me to politics and now that I have agreed to stay, it’s also for Didi. She is the best CM I have seen. For the last 10 years as Ghatal TMC MP, I tried to request the Centre to implement Ghatal Master Plan. Even in my last speech at the Parliament, Ghatal Master Plan was the focus. In the next term, the Ghatal Master Plan will see the light of day, with or without central government support. I might win or lose, but the statement government will fulfil the wish of the people. I trust my state government, and Didi,” he said. Recently, Dev had a meeting with Banerjee and party’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee.

Meanwhile, TMC has made organisational changes in Ghatal by removing former MLA Sankar Dalui as the district chairman, replacing him with party leader Radhakanta Maity. “I’ve never delved into the party’s internal matters,” he said. He added that at the meeting, he told both Didi and Abhishek that he wasn’t keen on contesting the polls this year or holding any position. Rather, he expressed his willingness to contribute to TMC’s political campaign as a dedicated party worker. “I never did anything to put my party in a bad light. That’s never been my intention. I never expected there would be so much speculation about me. I hold Didi in the highest regard, and it’s tough to say ‘no’ to her,” the ‘Projapoti’ actor told the media.