Mithun Chakraborty is missing from the complete roster of the 294 candidates announced by BJP. On Tuesday, BJP announced the final list of 13 candidates for the upcoming election in West Bengal.
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The seat of Rashbehari, many believed, was reserved for the ‘Dada’ of Bengali cinema, Mithun Chakraborty, but in that seat BJP has fielded retired Lt General Subrata Saha. Chakraborty had shared the dais with Modi at the BJP’s Brigade Parade Ground rally in Kolkata on March 7, which saw a scanty response.
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In that rally Mithun Chakraborty had said, “I am not a harmless water snake or a harmless desert snake. I am a pure cobra. With one strike, I will turn you into a photograph.” The comment had led to a rousing reception. But, his non-inclusion in the candidate-list came as a dampener. He had also recently enlisted as a voter in Cossipore-Belgachhia constituency, Kolkata, transferring his voting card from Mumbai.
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Chakraborty is scheduled to campaign in Nandigram on March 30 for Suvendu Adhikari. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is likely to be present at that road-show.
Former Chief Economic Advisor Ashok Lahiri, fielded earlier from Alipurduar in North Bengal and then replaced, is back as candidate from Balurghat.
A key change in the list published pertains to Gaighata in North 24 Parganas district where the new candidate is Subrata Thakur. He is the brother of Shantanu Thakur, the BJP MP representing the Matua community, believed to be upset with the party for failing to implement the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and lifting the uncertainty over their citizenship.
The schedule for the upcoming elections in India (four states and a UT) was announced on February, 26, 2021. In West Bengal, the election will be held in 8 phases from March 27 to April, 29 and the vote counting will take place on May, 02, 2021.
