In a first-time nomination, the Trinamool Congress has chosen film star Mithun Chakraborty as the party’s candidate for the Rajya Sabha. This was posted by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on her Facebook page.
“In our state, five Rajya Sabha members will be elected this time. One of these seats will be given to Shri Mithun Chakraborty from the All India Trinamool Congress. Shri Chakraborty is a well-known film personality. He has devoted his life to the cause of cultural and social activities with great success. He is an asset not only to West Bengal, but also to the entire country. We are proud to nominate him,” Banerjee wrote.
In 2012, Chakraborty’s name had cropped up when similar nominations were being discussed following a few vacancies in the Rajya Sabha.
The Bollywood veteran, whose career with the Bengali film industry is also in an upswing, has been close to the Left earlier. While Chakraborty has endeared himself with the current ruling party’s leadership, he shares a personal rapport with Mamata.
The other names meant for nominations to the Upper House are that of Professor Sugato Bose, Harvard University professor, scion of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and prominent physician Subrata Maitra, who recently came under limelight for heading the medical board of the big screen legend Suchitra Sen.
Sen’s daughter Moon Moon is also rumoured to be in the list. When Deccan Herald contacted, Indira Jaising neither confirmed nor denied the speculations about her nomination. She only said “I can’t talk about such things.”