The new West Bengal Assembly will have a batch of greenhorns from the world of films, music and sports rubbing shoulders with seasoned politicians.
Former Bengal cricket captain Laxmi Ratan Shukla has won from Howrah north seat on a Trinamool ticket by defeating his nearest rival Santosh Kumar Pathak of Congress by 26,959 votes.
In the star-studded fight he also left behind BJP leader and actress Roopa Ganguly, best known for her ‘Draupadi’ act in B R Chopra’s epic TV series ‘Mahabharat’, by around 30,000 votes.
Popular Bengali singer Indranil Sen has managed to woo voters as a Trinamool leader from Chandernagore seat on a slender margin of 2114 votes.
He is known for his Rabindra Sangeet albums but has also given his voice as a playback singer in many films.
In south Basirhat seat, footballer Dipendu Biswas who was fielded by TMC defeated BJP’s only sitting MLA Samik Bhattacharya by over 24,000 votes.
The 34-year-old sportsman has in the past played both for Mohun Bagan and East Bengal football clubs.
Giving them company in the world of politics will be two other stars who are now experienced in the Assembly.
Bengali film actress and Trinamool candidate Debasree Roy once again won from Raidighi seat by beating CPI(M) veteran leader Kanti Ganguly.
Sitting MLA and filmstar Chiranjeet Chakraborty retained his seat from Barasat.
Former BCCI president Jagmohan Dalmiya’s daughter Baishali won from Bally constituency in Howrah district on a Trinamool ticket. She defeated her nearest rival Saumendranath Bera of CPI(M) by 15,403 votes.
Former investment banker Mahua Moitra, who left her lucrative job as vice-president of JP Morgan in London to join politics, won Karimpur seat in Nadia district by 15,989 votes.
Former Indian football captain and Trinamool candidate Bhaichung Bhutia however got defeated from Siliguri by 14,072 votes to Siliguri mayor and former CPI(M) minister Ashok Bhattacharya.
Things also didn’t work out for Indian midfielder Nabi, who has been the skipper of Indian Super League side Mumbai City Football Club.
The Trinamool candidate lost by a narrow margin of 1392 votes from Pandua seat to CPI(M) candidate.
Bengali filmstar Soham Chakraborty was unlucky too as a small margin of 616 votes went in favour of Sujit Chakraborty of CPI(M).
In Asansol Dakshin, retired army colonel Diptanshu Chaudhary, who had fought in the Kargil War, came at number three position. He was fighting on a BJP ticket this elections.
Loosers also include actors Locket Chatterjee from Mayureswar and Joy Banerjee from Suri. Both were from BJP.
Jadavpur University professor Ambikesh Mahapatra, who was once arrested for circulating emails mocking Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, lost by 24,294 votes to Trinamool’s Sovan Chatterjee.
Famous Santhali actress Birbaha Hansda lost as Jharkhand Party (Naren faction) candidate to state Tribal Affairs Minister and Trinamool leader Sukumar Hansda retained his Jhargram seat in the Left-Wing extremism affected area by a heavy margin of 55,228 votes. - PTI
