Kolkata:
In the star-studded line-up of candidates put up by Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress for next month's Lok Sabha polls, he stands out. The party has fielded at least seven stars, from fields as diverse as cinema, theatre, music and sports.
The most popular of them all, without doubt, is Dev, the 31-year-old reigning superstar of Tollywood. And he just had his first brush with the brighter side of electoral politics. At a workers meeting in Midnapore, the crowds lustily cheered him, as if he had already been declared a winner, and was taking a victory lap.
Not one to rest on his laurels for his role in hits such as Paglu, Chander Pahar and Challenge, Dev is busy shooting for a new film at a studio in West Midnapore district. He took a break and drove to Midnapore town for a party workers' meeting. The crowds went wild. And Midnapore is not even his seat. He is contesting from neighbouring Ghatal.
"Please bless me," Dev, whose real name is Deepak Adhikari, said, adding, "I am from this district itself. I want to grow, I want to learn, I want to do something for you. Please bless me. Thank you so much."
Ghatal is in West Midnapore district, till recently plagued by Maoists. And Dev is not the only film star fielded here. Sandhya Roy, popular heroine of yesteryears, is also contesting from Midnapore. Her appeal: "Come, let us work together and let me be a part of your life."
Mamata has certainly unleashed star power here. Opponents from the Left are derisive of her reliance on star-power to enable her party to put up an improved performance in the general election, but if the excitement over Dev and Sandhya Roy is anything to go by, she may have played a very smart card.
The most popular of them all, without doubt, is Dev, the 31-year-old reigning superstar of Tollywood. And he just had his first brush with the brighter side of electoral politics. At a workers meeting in Midnapore, the crowds lustily cheered him, as if he had already been declared a winner, and was taking a victory lap.
Not one to rest on his laurels for his role in hits such as Paglu, Chander Pahar and Challenge, Dev is busy shooting for a new film at a studio in West Midnapore district. He took a break and drove to Midnapore town for a party workers' meeting. The crowds went wild. And Midnapore is not even his seat. He is contesting from neighbouring Ghatal.
"Please bless me," Dev, whose real name is Deepak Adhikari, said, adding, "I am from this district itself. I want to grow, I want to learn, I want to do something for you. Please bless me. Thank you so much."
Ghatal is in West Midnapore district, till recently plagued by Maoists. And Dev is not the only film star fielded here. Sandhya Roy, popular heroine of yesteryears, is also contesting from Midnapore. Her appeal: "Come, let us work together and let me be a part of your life."
Mamata has certainly unleashed star power here. Opponents from the Left are derisive of her reliance on star-power to enable her party to put up an improved performance in the general election, but if the excitement over Dev and Sandhya Roy is anything to go by, she may have played a very smart card.
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