Asansol: The issue now is who would succeed Bhojpuri actor Pawan Singh, who was compelled to withdraw his nomination for the Lok Sabha election from West Bengal’s Asansol owing to his body of work, which caused a great deal of hostility from both the BJP cadre and the TMC leadership.
Three names have been proposed by the state unit, according to sources close to the Bengal BJP, including a doctor who turned politician, a TMC turncoat who speaks Hindi well, and a current MLA who was a fashion designer. The last two are BJP MLAs who are currently in office. Party sources in the nation’s capital, however, claim that they are investigating two Bhojpuri stars, especially one who is Bengali but has become well-known in the Bhojpuri sector.
THE THREE PICKED BY THE BENGAL BJP FOR ASANSOL
Jitendra Tiwari, Dr. Ajay Poddar, and Agnimitra Paul are the names that the Bengal BJP has proposed.
Despite coming from a family of physicians and academics, Agnimitra Paul opted to pursue a career in fashion design. She has created looks for Bollywood celebrities including Mithun Chakraborty, Sridevi, and Kay Kay Menon. She joined the BJP before the most recent Lok Sabha elections in 2019 and has since been a familiar figure in all of the party’s women-led protests, including the most recent ones in Sandeshkhali.
She was chosen as an MLA from Asansol Dakshin, which is part of Asansol’s Lok Sabha seat, in the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections. The BJP would benefit from fielding a woman from Asansol as well, given that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has brought up the Sandeshkhali problem during electoral campaigning.
2020 saw Jitendra Tiwari, who had previously been a member of the TMC, join the BJP. He is now serving as an MLA in Asansol, a district with a sizable Hindi-speaking voting base, and he supports the BJP’s agenda there. The fact that he was Asansol’s mayor and is familiar with the city helps him win the Asansol ticket.
After graduating from Ranchi Medical College with an MBBS, Dr. Ajay Poddar joined the BJP in 2021. He was nominated for the Kulti seat in the Assembly election and prevailed. The Asansol Lok Sabha seat includes the Kulti Assembly segment.
MIXTURE OF BHOJPURI SENSATIONS
According to reports, the Delhi branch of the BJP is investigating two Bhojpuri sensations. According to reports, the saffron party is especially fond of “Monalisa,” a Bengali actress known for her Bhojpuri films. Her name is Antara Biswas, and she is well-known in the Bhojpuri film business in addition to being well-known on Hindi television. Because of her fluency in Bengali, Hindi, and Bhojpuri, it is thought that the BJP is considering her candidacy from Asansol.
She participated in Big Brother 10 as a participant as well. After graduating from Calcutta University and attending Julien Day School in South Kolkata, she entered the world of celebrity. In addition to being married to a prominent figure in the Bhojpuri film business, “Monalisa” is a phenomenon in the field.
She checks several boxes as a Bengali, a woman, and someone who is well-liked in the Bhojpuri film business, should the BJP decide to run her from Asansol.
There is talk, meanwhile, that the BJP is also considering nominating Akshara Singh, a popular Bhojpuri actress and one of the best paid in the business. Although she is a greater celebrity than “Monalisa,” two factors, according to insiders, are making the BJP reconsider. Two things stand out: first, she lacks Monalisa’s Bengali heritage, which has gained significance in the wake of Pawan Singh’s incident; and second, Akshara’s prior relationship with Pawan. The couple’s romance came to an unpleasant end.
One cannot rule out the prospect of an agitated Akshara Singh criticizing Pawan Singh, who was first selected by the BJP, during the campaign, should the party decide to run the Asansol native.
Asansol is now the battlefield between a fashion designer, a former mayor, a doctor, and two Bhojpuri superstars. All of these candidates are currently serving as MLAs.
