Tollywood star Deepak Adhikari, popularly known as Dev, Trinamul Congress candidate from Ghatal parliamentary constituency, today campaigned for party’s candidates in Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri and Siliguri partly, and claimed that TMC will recover Cooch Behar and bag more seats in Bengal compared to last Lok Sabha polls.

Mr Deb started campaigning in Mekhliganj in Cooch Behar, which is an Assembly segment, under Jalpaiguri LS seat. He was accompanied by TMC candidate Dr Nirmal Roy and former TMC MP from Jalpaiguri Binoy Barman and other party leaders during a road show there.

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Reacting to massive response to his fans, Dev said, “Those, who don’t keep their word and run away after the polls, don’t need to be elected. Those, who keep their words like Mamata Banerjee, who gives Lakshmir Bhandar, deserve votes. BJP has failed to fulfil their commitments for this region.”

“I think TMC will be getting more seats in 2024, compared to last LS polls,” he added.

Mr Dev left Mekhliganj by helicopter for Natabari in Cooch Behar to attend another road show for candidate Jagadish Chandra Barma Basunia.

The TMC leadership has decided to organise road shows by celebrity campaigners to rejuvenate both the voters and party workers since a BJP candidate was elected from Natabari Assembly segment in last election.

Mr Dev was accompanied by the former TMC MLA from Natabari Rabindranath Ghosh, party candidate Mr Basunia and other district leaders.

Mr Dev covered more than six kilometre and had to stop the road show to avoid scorching sun and dust.

But reacting to massive gathering on either side of the road, Dev, speaking to local reporters, said, “Now, I am tired but I think we will be able to recover Cooch Behar LS seat.”

Deb left for Siliguri from Cooch Behar to attend another road show in Siliguri -Jalpaiguri areas, which are under both Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling LS seats. Siliguri mayor Goutam Deb accompanied him during the show here for Nirmal Roy. The Trinamul organised another road show by Dev in Shaktigarh in Siliguri this afternoon.

The TMC candidate, Mr Basunia, said, “People have made up their minds to elect TMC from Cooch Behar. Bengali movie star Dev’s road show has brought a new dimension to beat the BJP here.”

Former north bengal development minister, Rabindranath Ghosh, who is now chairman of Cooch Behar Municipality, said: “More celebrities will be coming here for election campaigning to send Mr Basunia to Delhi after 4 June.”

On the other hand, the BJP candidate Nisith Pramanik has been organising Sankalpa Sabha to reach out to the people and involve TMC supporters in BJP camp ahead of Lok Sabha polls.

In a village under Dinhata sub-division today, more than 100 men and women joined the BJP, leaving the TMC.

As TMC chairperson, Mamata Banerjee during election campaign in Cooch Behar, vehemently criticised Mr Pramanik for alleged involvement in criminal activities as he was in the TMC, the BJP candidate to retain the seat has started criticising chief minister showcasing misrule in West Bengal for teachers’ recruitment scam, the Sandeshkhali issues and recent attacks on NIA officials.

In Jalpaiguri, the BJP candidate Dr Jayanta Roy has been campaigning from markets to rural haats (markets).

The BJP leadership in Jalpaiguri has planned a political rally in Rajganj Assembly constituency, which is under the control of TMC, tomorrow. Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari will campaign for Dr Roy, when the TMC leaders are trying hard to recover both Cooch Behar and Jalpaiguri, where LS polls are slated on 19 April.