Season Of Phone Calls Is Back, But Who Called TMC MP Dev?

Trinamool Congress Member of Parliament and a noted actor in Bengali film industry, Dipak Adhikari popularly known as Dev has resigned from three government committees in his Lok Sabha constituency on Monday, stoking speculations if all is well between him and his party. A two time MP, Dev has been elected to Lok Sabha from Ghatal constituency. Sources close to the actor claim that he is reluctant to contest for the third consecutive time. “He claims he is an accidental politician and would do better if he sticks around only to acting and films”, said a source close to Dev and privy to conversations the actor turned politician has had in his closed circles where he has hinted at his departure from politics. 

Soon after the news spread, sources claim that an approach was made to Dev by a senior leader from Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP). Unwilling to get identified, according to the source, that senior BJP leader had personally called Dev in the evening and had a conversation for over ten minutes over phone. Dev was invited for talks by that BJP leader, who himself had switched over to saffron party from another national party. While the conversation had started over the decision to resign from the government committees, but eventually Dev was offered to consider better political prospects with BJP with the Lok Sabha elections 2024 around, claimed the sources. According to another source, Dev had politely turned down the offer to meet anyone immediately “citing busy work schedule on the film front”. 

One of the biggest celebrities in the Bengali film industry, the actor turned producer had also been TMC’s star campaigner. Adhikari has also attended the party’s internal meeting at the residence of the chief minister, also attended by TMC National general secretary Abhishek Banerjee. Mamata Banerjee, according to party insiders had openly told the West Midnapore district leadership that “even if Dev is reluctant to contest elections, the people of his constituency want him”, indicating that she would want him to contest for the third time from Ghatal. 

This isn’t the first time and Dev isn’t the first leader of TMC who has been approached by BJP. BJP Bengal leader of opposition Suvendu Adhikari himself had switched sides in December 2020, ahead of Bengal assembly elections in 2021. Incidentally, the day Dev had allegedly received the phone call from a senior BJP leader, Suvendu Adhikari was in New Delhi and had met Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday. 

The actor could not be reached out for his confirmation and statement but sources close to him have confirmed the development.