Jaya Bachchan to campaign for Trinamool Congress in Bengal
Veteran film actor and Samajwadi Party (SP) Member of Parliament Jaya Bachchan is set to campaign for the ruling Trinamool Congress party (TMC) in West Bengal during the ongoing Assembly elections in the state. Bachchan arrived at the Kolkata Airport late Sunday evening and was received by senior Trinamool leaders Derek O'Brien and Chandrima Bhattacharya. Here are more details on this.
Bachchan's connection with Bengal
By roping in Bachchan for its campaign, the Trinamool is looking to improve its connect with the women voters of Bengal. Bachchan is a Bengali from Jabalpur, married to megastar Amitabh Bachchan. She had made her film debut as a teenager in legendary Satyajit Ray's Mahanagar and later got her big break with Bengali filmmaker Hrishikesh Mukherjee's Guddi.
Bachchan to campaign for Tollygunge MLA Aroop Biswas
Bachchan will reportedly begin her visit by campaigning for three-time Tollygunge MLA Aroop Biswas, who is facing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Union Minister Babul Supriyo. She is also expected to participate in at least four road shows on April 6 and 7, and may even share the stage with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in a public rally during her stay.
SP chief Akhilesh Yadav is backing the TMC
Bachchan's visit has come after Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said last month that his party would campaign for the Trinamool in the Bengal elections. He had also accused the BJP of doing "politics of hate and confusion and propaganda."
Recently, Banerjee wrote to several key Opposition leaders
This development has happened just days after TMC chief Banerjee had written to several key Opposition leaders including Yadav and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi. She had suggested a large collaboration to take on the BJP after the current round of Assembly polls. In the letter, she called for a united struggle against what she called the BJP's "attacks on democracy."
RJD, NCP, Shiv Sena extend support to Banerjee's call
According to reports, Tejashwi Yadav of the Rashtriya Janata Dal, Sharad Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party, as well as Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena have extended support to Banerjee's call for a unified Opposition.
Elections in Bengal to conclude on April 29
The ongoing Assembly elections in Bengal are being seen as a direct contest between Banerjee's TMC - fighting to run its third term in the state - and the BJP, which has never ruled the state before. The voting began on March 27 and will conclude on April 29. The results will be declared on May 2.
