I want to quit politics: Actor-turned-TMC MLA Chiranjeet Chakraborty wishes not to contest WB polls

Kolkata, Feb 17: Amid an ongoing exodus of TMC leaders from the ruling party in West Bengal ahead of the assembly elections, actor-turned-MLA Chiranjeet Chakraborty on Wednesday expressed his desire to quit politics and focus more on acting.

The two-time Barasat MLA said he has already conveyed his decision to party supremo and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who has asked him to wait for a few days.

"I was associated with the TMC even before 2011 (when it came to power in the state). Before the 2016 assembly elections, I had told party supremo Mamata Banerjee that I want to quit politics and return to acting but she asked me to contest the polls.

"This time too, I have said that I don''t want to contest the elections and want to focus on acting. She has said that she will let me know," Chakraborty told a news channel.

When asked whether he has plans to join any other party, he replied in negative.

"I want to be an apolitical person. I want to spend time acting. I am either a Trinamool member or apolitical. There is no question of me going to any other party," he said.

The party''s North 24 Parganas district chief and Food and Supplies Minister Jyotipriyo Mullick said he will speak to Chakraborty.

Since the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, when the BJP bagged 18 seats, just four less than the ruling TMC and emerged as its main challenger in West Bengal, 17 MLAs of the Trinamool Congress, one TMC MP, three MLAs each of the Congress and the CPI (M) and one from the CPI have crossed over to the saffron camp.

However, except for former state cabinet ministers Suvendu Adhikari and Rajib Banerjee, the rest have not resigned as MLAs.

TMC''s Rajya Sabha MP Dinesh Trivedi had recently quit the party and the post, claiming that he was feeling suffocated in the party.

Elections to the 294-member state assembly are due in April-May.