Trinamool’s celeb candidates hit roads as political mercury rises
Kolkata: The political temperature in West Bengal continues to rise, with Sunday, the first after the announcement of the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections schedule, witnessing an intense campaign push from all major parties. The TMC’s star candidates made the most of Sunday, with all hitting the road with mega shows and intensive door-to-door campaigns.
At Ward No 1 of the Barrackpore Municipality in Madhabnibas, filmmaker-turned-politician Raj Chakraborty led a colourful campaign rally accompanied by traditional khol and kartal. He was seen dancing with members of the Matua community and even played the drum himself. “When I began my campaign in 2021, it was from this very ward. In terms of development, significant work has been done. Whatever CM Mamata Banerjee envisioned for the people, we have implemented, be it roads, drainage, or lighting. Some work may still be pending in a few areas, but those will be completed in the coming days,” said Chakraborty.
Meanwhile, BJP candidate Koustav Bagchi, who also campaigned on Sunday, asserted that he would defeat Chakraborty by a margin of 50,000 votes. Chakraborty dismissed the claim with a laugh.
Meanwhile, actor-turned-politician Soham Chakraborty, who has been fielded by the TMC from Karimpur instead of his previous seat Chandipur, began his campaign by offering prayers at the revered Jongradaho Maa Kali Temple. “The welfare schemes introduced by Mamata Banerjee for the people of Bengal are our biggest strength in this election,” he said. The election fever in Baranagar has reached a peak, with high-voltage campaigning underway. TMC’s celebrity candidate Sayantika Banerjee is locked in a keen contest against BJP’s Sajal Ghosh. On Sunday, Sayantika hit the road with an intensive door-to-door campaign. She reached out to residents across Moyradanga More, Mrinal Park, Bholanath Street, Ramkrishna Pally and Nabapally More, engaging directly with voters and listening to their concerns.
Later in the evening, Sayantika, accompanied by TMC’s Dum Dum MP Sougata Roy, took out a roadshow atop a campaign vehicle, drawing enthusiastic crowds. Rajarhat-Gopalpur TMC celeb candidate singer Aditi Munshi also took part in a mega roadshow.
