After Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s Mohan Bhagwat met actor Mithun Chakraborty, rumours about the later rejoining politics have surfaced.
Speuclations have gone rife that Chakraborty, one of the most sought-after Bengali icons, could join BJP ahead of the high voltage West Bengal Assembly Election, due in March-April.
RSS sarsanghchalak Bhagwat, 70, called on Chakraborty at his bungalow in suburban Madh area of Malad west, fuelling theories of the star’s comeback to active politics after a five-year hiatus.
However, Chakraborty scotched all rumours of his return to politics but added that Bhagwat, whom he recently met in Uttar Pradesh, had paid him a return visit. Earlier, the duo also met in Nagpur, where the RSS headquarters are located.
“Do not speculate, I and Bhagwat have a spiritual connect. We had met in Lucknow and I had requested him to visit me whenever he visited Mumbai,” Chakraborty said.
The meeting comes ahead of the Election Commission of India’s plans to announce the West Bengal Assembly elections.
Incidentally, Chakraborty had visited the RSS headquarters in Nagpur earlier, hinting at his growing association with the Sangh pariwar.
A Naxal activist during the 70s, the National Award-winning actor shared a close bond with the CPIM during the 34-year-long Left Front rule of West Bengal.
However, he changed colours after the power shifted to Mamata Banerjee’s TMC.
A former All India Trinamool Congress Party Rajya Sabha MP, who quit in 2016 citing health-related problems, Chakraborty still remains popular among the Bengali masses.
According to a Bengali media report, RSS doesn’t want Chakraborty to directly joining BJP. Instead, the Sangh has reportedly sough indirect contribution from the actor.