LS polls: TMC celeb candidates power through
KOLKATA: When Mamata Banerjee chose Bengali actress Moon Moon Sen to contest against nine-time CPI(M) MP Basudeb Acharia in Bankura in 2014, it surprised many. But Sen’s victory by nearly a lakh votes silenced doubts. Similarly, when cricket star and TMC Lok Sabha candidate Yusuf Pathan was given a ticket against Congress strongman Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury in Baharampur, it came as a jolt to many.
Yet, Pathan, in his first political match, defeated Chowdhury, breaking his 25-year winning streak. “I see this win not just as mine, but as a win for all the people who supported me. My priority now is to set up a sports academy to help youngsters build careers and to promote industries. While my roots are in Gujarat, Baharampur is now my home, and I’ll be here, working for the people,” said the ace Indian cricketer. Since coming to power in 2011, Banerjee has consistently enlisted the support of celebrities, a strategy that has drawn scrutiny from the opposition. Despite the criticism, she has remained resolute in her approach.
In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the TMC once again fielded a slew of celebrities from the world of cinema and sports, and their impact on the election results was evident. From actor-producer Dev, seasoned players like Kirti Azad and Yusuf Pathan, along with Prasun Banerjee, ‘Didi No 1’ Rachana Banerjee, actress Saayoni Ghosh, veteran actor Shatrughan Sinha, Bengali actresses Satabdi Roy and June Maliah, all contested in the elections, contributing to the party’s performance.
Kirti Azad pulled off a major upset for the BJP by defeating heavyweight leader Dilip Ghosh in Bardhaman-Durgapur, securing victory by a margin of 137,981 votes. “I attribute this win to Mamata didi’s influence and Abhishek Banerjee’s organizational skills, along with the hard work of our party workers,” said the 1983 World Cup star. Veteran actor Shatrughan Sinha won against BJP’s Surendrajeet Singh Ahluwalia in Asansol constituency yet again. Dev, aiming for his third MP term, put up a strong fight against BJP’s candidate, actor-politician Hiran. At the time of filing the copy, Dev was leading by a margin of 182,460 votes. “I’m overwhelmed. The people of Ghatal have shown their trust in me and TMC.
This victory is for our grassroots workers and Didi. Ghatal Master Plan will be a reality soon,” said Dev.
‘Guru Dakhina’ actress Satabdi Roy, who is making her way to the Parliament for the fourth time, also said how the people of Bengal continue to trust Didi. Bengali actress and popular ‘Didi No 1’ host Rachana Banerjee was also leading against the BJP candidate by 76100 votes (at the time of filing the copy). ‘Proloy’ actress Saayoni held onto the mighty Jadavpur bastion for TMC against BJP’s Anirban Ganguly. She dedicated the win to the people of Bengal and thanked the CM and Abhishek Banerjee for their continued trust.
