West Bengal Assembly election 2021, Raj Chakraborty profile: TMC candidate from Barrackpur to face BJP’s Chandramani Shukla

Actor-director Raj Chakraborty has been fielded by the Trinamool Congress from the Barrackpur constituency in the upcoming West Bengal Assembly polls. The 46-year-old will face competition from BJP candidate Chandramani Shukla, when it goes to polls in the sixth of eight phases on 22 April. “Cinema and politics both speak about society. It does not matter which profession someone belongs to but what it matters whether someone wants to work for the people. We would not do the politics that prompts someone to hurl abusive language on others,” he said, in a veiled attack on the saffron party. By fielding Chakraborty, a prominent name in the Bengali television industry, TMC hopes to counter BJP MP Arjun Singh’s strong presence in the area. Chakraborty said his priorities include women’s security, being accessible to voters making Barrackpur a haven for businessmen. Chakraborty’s father was a clerk at the Rishi Bankim Chandra College in Naihati, while the actor-director completed his education from Halisahar in Barrackpore. The Barrackpur Assembly constituency lies in the North 24 Parganas district. It is a part of the Barrackpore Lok Sabha constituency. Barrackpur seat came into existence in 2011 after Titagarh (Vidhan Sabha constituency) ceased to exist from the same year. Elections for the West Bengal Assembly will be held in eight phases, up from seven last time, beginning with polling for 30 seats on 27 March. The second phase of West Bengal’s assembly elections has been scheduled for 1 April and will cover 30 constituencies, followed by the third phase on 6 April for 31 seats, the fourth on 10 April for 44 constituencies, the fifth on 17 April for 45 seats, sixth for 43 seats on 22 April, seventh phase on 26 April for 36 seats and last and eighth phase on 29 April for 35 seats. The results of the election will be declared on 2 May.