Magical and Musical MPs
But TMC is not alone. The BJP too has scoured the horizon in Bengal for that odd celebrity, in the wild hope that their famous names would rake in the votes. From musician Bappi Lahiri to magician P.C. Sorcar Junior to actor George Baker, the BJP has got the rest of them covered. Perhaps it is time to be concerned about the state of the Indian Parliament if it is crammed with so many film stars and other celebrities, who have little or no experience of politics or legislation, and we can all therefore forget about serious governance. With political parties roping in celebrities bank on their glam quotient to woo voters, political debates are raging across the state as analysts and observers point out that MPs and MLAs whose first priorities are not politics and who have other commitments, will hardly deliver the goods to their constituencies.
Left will be Left
Leading this charge against the recruitment of celebrities are none other than the Communists in Bengal, who are openly scoffing at the fielding of so many celebrities as candidates. “It’s ridiculous", ” sniggered a Left leader, looking at the TMC list of candidates. But the celebrity candidates are not the only grouse that members of the Left have against their political rivals. There are other issues. CPI(M) strongman Sujan Chakraborty held an open air campaign session at Jadavpur, the constituency he is contesting from, where he questioned the TMC’s decision to field as their candidate from this constituency, Professor Sugata Bose. Bose, "who belongs to the family of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose (he is the son of Netaji’s nephew Sisir Kumar Bose and former MP Professor Krishna Bose). Chakraborty pointed out that Professor Bose, who is teaches at Harvard, "was most of the time out of the country. “How would he look after the needs of the people of his constituency? he asked the gathering. Good question. But then how much time do the MPs and MLAs who are present in India spend in their constituencies to look after the needs of its people?