Ready to contest Bengal polls, says actor Yash Dasgupta

Actor-turned politician Yash Dasgupta is all set to contest in the West Bengal Assembly elections days after joining the saffron camp. The actor said that the ultimate decision will be taken by the party.

Kolkata: Bengali actor Yash Dasgupta, who recently joined Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), said he is ready to contest the upcoming West Bengal Assembly elections but asserted that the ultimate decision will be taken by the party. Dasgupta joined BJP on February 17 along with several other Tollywood leaders.

“I am ready to fight the election but the ultimate decision will be taken by the party. If we want to bring change in the state and the country, then we cannot do it by staying outside the system. We have to be in the system to bring change. I think this is the right time to join politics,” Dasgupta told media on Saturday.

The actor-turned-politician said there is unemployment in the state, adding that it is the right time to join politics to bring a change in society.

“There are no jobs in Bengal. Youth have to go to another state for employment. Bengal is lagging behind other states,” he said.
Dasgupta said maintaining the balance between his work and politics will not be a problem for him.

“I don’t see any problem in maintaining a balance between my work and politics. I recently met Amit Shah ji. He told me there is nothing to fear and I can work freely. I have been given a free hand.

Asked about his friendship with TMC MP Nusrat Jahan, he said, "It is not necessary that everybody follows the same path."

Dasgupta recently met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and also said that he wants to work independently.

Elections for 294 Assembly seats in West Bengal are scheduled to take place this year. In the 2016 West Bengal Assembly elections, out of the 294 seats, Congress had managed to win 44 seats while the Left Front bagged 33 seats.

The ruling TMC secured 211 seats and BJP had won 3 seats. The BJP has emerged as a strong contender in the state after securing 18 Lok Sabha seats in 2019 general elections.

With ANI inputs