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What's Cooking Between Mohan Bhagwat And Mithun Chakraborty?

By Linus Garg
First publised on 2021-02-17 14:42:30

About the Author

Sunil Garodia Linus tackles things head-on. He takes sides in his analysis and it fits excellently with our editorial policy. No 'maybe's' and 'allegedly' for him, only things in black and white.

Can we read a political meaning in the meeting between RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and actor Mithun Chakraborty? Mithunda, as he is affectionately called in film circles, has said it was a courtesy call and Bhagwat invited him to Nagpur (RSS headquarters) with his family. But a person as important as Mohan Bhagwat is not usually given to making impromptu house visits to people not connected with the RSS. Mithun was allegedly a Naxalite and then mainstream Leftist in his youth and later on accepted a Rajya Sabha seat from the TMC. Hence, the meeting has sparked speculation that the RSS is trying to woo Mithun to be the face of the BJP campaign in the ensuing elections in West Bengal.

The BJP has now made it a habit of not projecting a face to lead the party in state elections as it relies heavily on the charisma of Narendra Modi to get the votes. In most states, this is also due to the fact that it becomes difficult to project a single candidate due to infighting in state units. But in West Bengal, the party faces a huge problem because none of its leaders can match, or even come close to matching, the charisma and huge popularity of Mamata Banerjee. For a while, there was talk in political circles about the BJP drafting the redoubtable Sourav Ganguly to take on Mamata but even though Sourav had denied the rumours, all such speculation ceased the moment Dada suffered heart problems. Now the grapevine is buzzing with Mithun doing the honours.

But it will be better for the BJP not to go after Mamata by pitching a famous face against her. It is better placed to attack the party and continue with the tolabazi tax (cut money being taken by TMC operatives for giving money to the beneficiaries under Central or state schemes), Muslim appeasement and  bhaipo-pisi (bhua-bhatija) planks that it feels are getting traction with the people. But the party perhaps feels that pitching Modi directly against Mamata and then not winning will give Didi a huge handle to further slam the NDA government. Hence it might try to rope in a famous face to give her a fight. Hence the speculation about Mithun Chakraborty. It is another matter whether the 70-year-old actor will oblige.

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