Dev hints at re-contesting Lok Sabha polls after meeting Mamata, Abhishek: ‘Even if I want to leave politics, politics will not leave me’

Speaking to mediapersons on Sunday, Dev said that Mamata Banerjee’s opinion mattered a lot to him and cryptically added: “Even if I want to leave politics, politics will not leave me.”

Meanwhile, the TMC removed former Ghatal MLA Sankar Dalui chairman from the party’s Ghatal organisational district, and replaced him with party leader Radhakanta Maity.

According to TMC sources, Dalui and Dev have been involved in an internal feud and were not seeing eye to eye with each other on organisational matters in the district unit. Following his removal, Dalui said, “I have nothing to say. I don’t have any bitter relationship with anyone. The party has taken a decision with the best interest of the organisation in mind.”

A TMC source said that Dev, who was in two minds on contesting the Lok Sabha polls, has now agreed to contest the election from Ghatal again. “This is a clear indication that all went well in the meeting that took place last night between Dev and top TMC leadership,” the source added.

Last week, taking everyone by surprise, Adhikari resigned as the chairman of the Ghatal Hospital’s Patient Welfare Committee, president of the managing committee of Ghatal Rabindra Centenary Mahavidyalaya and vice-chairman of Birshingh Unnayan Parishad without giving any reasons.

Adding to speculations, Dev last Thursday said that he might not contest the Lok Sabha polls but added that the final decision rested on party chief Mamata Banerjee’s decision. “Definitely amar mathay kichu holche. Aami mitthe bolbo na. Osshikar o korbo na. Amar maathay holche ebar aami nao darate pari. (Definitely, something is on my mind. I will not lie. I will also not deny this. I may not contest this time, this is going on in my mind,” Dev had said.
He, however, had denied rumors that he is leaving the Trinamool Congress. “Why should I leave the party? Why should I go to some other party. What did I ask my party that my party denied?” Dev said refuting speculations of him quitting the TMC.

Born in Keshpur of Paschim Medinipur district, Dev made his debut on the silver screen in 2006 with Agnishapath. His breakthrough in films came with I Love You in 2007, which went on to be a huge commercial success. Known to be one of the highest-paid and sought-after Bengali actors, Dev was one among the handful of Tollywood actors who caught the attention of the TMC and was fielded from Ghatal in 2014. He received more than 50% of the votes in the election, defeating his nearest rival Santosh Rana of the CPI. In 2019, he retained the seat, polling more votes than five years earlier – over seven lakh – and defeated former IPS officer and BJP candidate Bharati Ghosh.

Last year, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee named the actor the tourism ambassador of West Bengal, replacing Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan.