West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday rolled out a star-studded list of candidates for the lok Sabha elections.While the list is replete with celebrities including actors and players, Mamata has also taken care to accommodate all but two sitting MPs.
The highlights of Banerjee's list are actors Moon Moon Sen and former Indian football captain Baichung Bhutia. While Sen, who was personally approached by the Chief Minister a few days ago, will contest against CPI (M)'s Basudeb Acharya in Bankura, Bhutia will fight from Darjeeling.
Considered a "gem of a move" Bhutia's presence in Darjeeling could take the wind out of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha's sails and might force the hill outfit to abandon its ideas of fielding a separate candidate and tow Banerjee's line instead.
This apart, powerful left MlA from North Bengal Dasrath Tirkey, who had defected to Trinamool during the Rajya Sabha polls, was also rewarded with a ticket.
The Chief Minister, who had successfully used her celluloid card in defeating CPI(M) heavyweights in 2009 and 2011 elections, threw more surprises by fielding Bengali superstar Deb, veteran matinee idol Sandhya Roy, singers Indranil Sen and Saumitra Roy apart from theatre personality Arpita Ghosh.
Veteran cine stars and sitting MPs Satabdi Roy and Tapas Paul, who had briefly unfurled the banner of rebellion alongside jailed MP Kunal Ghosh, have been retained. Dissenters like Dinesh Trivedi and Sisir Adhikary were also given re-nomination.
"Our list has been carefully drawn up giving representation to all sections of society as we want to win the maximum number of seats so that the party can play a bigger role in national politics," Banerjee said adding she would go campaigning to Gujarat, UP, Delhi, Bihar and Jharkhand.
On why she would go as far as Gujarat to campaign, Banerjee said her party was fielding candidates from that State. "If Gujarat Chief Minister can campaign in Kolkata why can't I go thereIJ"
On the question of accepting the Prime Minister's post should the situation so demand, she said she "never longs for any post" adding quickly her party would shoulder bigger responsibility and "provide a vision and mission to the Government if required."
Her starry list could also include star of the '60s Biswajit, the Chief Minister said. "Biswajit had expressed his willingness to contest the polls and we are working out that possibility. He could be fielded from Delhi," Banerjee said.
Only two sitting MPs Sucharu Haldar and Gobindo Naskar --- one from Nadia and the other from Bongaon --- would not contest this time round as "they are unwell." Rebel MP Kabir Suman has also been ignored. Former footballer Prasun Banerjee will contest from Howrah.
Notable among the greenhorns fielded by the Chief Minister are her nephew and businessman Abhishek Banerjee. He is currently heading the party youth wing Yuva.
On whether she would go along with the Congress if there was an offer from that party Banerjee said she would "never like to see the face of those who have brought India down and those who are steeped in corruption."