WB Polls: Mithun Chakraborty Absent From BJP’s Likely Final List

Chakraborty, 70, served as a Rajya Sabha MP representing the TMC for two years, before resigning in 2016.

(Photo: Accessed by The Quint)

The West Bengal BJP released a list of 13 candidates, likely to be the party’s final list, on Tuesday, 23 March. The list excluded the actor-politician Mithun Chakraborty, who joined the Bharatiya Janata Party at a highly-publicised event earlier this month.

The BJP fielded Lieutenant General Subrata Saha from Rashbehari, a seat which, according to earlier party sources, was being reserved for Chakraborty, NDTV reported. He had also delivered a new election line in Rashbehari: "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," NDTV quoted.

The actor had shared the stage with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the BJP's mega Brigade Parade Ground rally in Kolkata on 7 March.

Mithun Chakraborty had also recently transferred his voting card from Mumbai to Kolkata. However, elections are scheduled to take place in eight phases in the poll-bound state and the final date for filing nominations is still weeks away, in mid-April.

Chakraborty will also be seen campaigning with Suvendu Adhikari in the highly-contested Nandigram on 30 March, with Union Home Minister Amit Shah who is also likely to be present at the event, NDTV reported.

(With inputs from NDTV)