Filmmaker Raj Chakrabarty quits politics after Trinamool’s Bengal poll defeat
The former Barrackpore MLA says he will now focus entirely on his film career following his electoral loss
Bengali filmmaker and former Trinamool Congress legislator Raj Chakrabarty has announced his decision to step away from politics following the party’s defeat in the West Bengal assembly elections.
Chakrabarty, who represented the Barrackpore Assembly constituency in North 24-Parganas district from 2021 to 2026, lost the seat to Bharatiya Janata Party candidate and senior Calcutta High Court lawyer Kaustav Bagchi by a margin of more than 15,000 votes.
The director shared his decision through a social media post, stating that his journey in politics had come to an end and that he would now devote his attention entirely to filmmaking.
“Whenever I was given any responsibility in life, I tried to fulfil it with honesty and dedication,” Chakrabarty wrote, adding that he had attempted to serve people sincerely during his tenure as an elected representative.
Reflecting on his transition from cinema to politics, he said he entered public life in 2021 after receiving the opportunity to serve people through electoral politics, but that chapter had now concluded.
Chakrabarty is known for directing several successful Bengali films and popular OTT productions, including the “Proloy” series.
In his statement, he also expressed hope that the incoming BJP-led government in West Bengal would work towards the state’s development and prosperity.
“The people of Bengal have delivered their verdict and a new government will take oath on 9 May. I hope the state continues on the path of progress,” he said.
Chakrabarty is the second high-profile celebrity associated with the Trinamool Congress to publicly distance himself from active politics after the party’s landslide defeat in the Assembly elections.
Earlier, actor and three-time Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha MP Deepak Adhikari, popularly known as Dev, said he intended to scale back his political engagements and focus more on acting and film production.
Unlike Chakrabarty, however, Dev stopped short of announcing a complete withdrawal from politics.
With IANS inputs