The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has fielded former Republic Bangla journalist Santu Pan from the Tarakeswar Assembly constituency for the upcoming 2026 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election. Pan formally joined the BJP during a political event attended by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, drawing attention in both political and media circles as he moved directly from journalism into active politics ahead of the Assembly polls.
According to reports, Santu Pan had been covering a BJP rally addressed by Shah as part of his professional assignment. During the event, he stepped onto the stage and formally joined the party in the presence of the Union Home Minister and other senior BJP leaders. The move came shortly after Pan reportedly submitted his resignation from Republic Bangla.
Welcoming him into the party, Shah said individuals who believe in the BJP’s ideology and wish to contribute to the state’s development are welcome to join the organisation. “Anyone who wants to contribute to the development of West Bengal and strengthen the democratic process is welcome in the Bharatiya Janata Party,” Shah said while greeting the new entrant.
Santu Pan, who gained public recognition for his on-ground reporting and coverage of political developments in West Bengal, said his decision was driven by a desire to participate more directly in public life. “I have worked as a journalist for many years and reported on political developments. Now I want to take a more active role in serving people and contributing to the political process,” he said after joining the party. He added that his experience as a journalist had helped him understand public issues more closely. “As a journalist I had the opportunity to interact with people across the state. The experience has encouraged me to step into politics and work for society in a different capacity,” he said.
He drawn attention for his coverage of political developments in the state and for asking pointed questions during press interactions with political leaders, including West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. His transition from journalism to politics has therefore generated discussion among political observers as well as members of the media fraternity. However, critiques have alleged that Pan’s reportage seemed biased towards the BJP.
The BJP has released its first list of candidates comprising 144 nominees, with more lists expected to follow. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has announced a list of 192 candidates so far. The 294-member West Bengal Assembly will go to the polls in two phases on April 23 and April 29, with the results scheduled to be declared on May 4.
