Jaya Bachchan Campaigns In Support Of Mamata Banerjee's TMC For West Bengal Polls 2021

Jaya Bachchan is in Bengal to campaign on behalf of Mamata Banerjee and the Trinamool Congress. The Samajwadi Party MP at her first press conference, reminded voters that Banerjee was "fighting to preserve the democratic right of every Bengali" and warning rival political parties - she did not name any - against "hijacking my religion... democratic rights". She also issued a veiled warning to the BJP over its campaign strategy - widely seen as a vicious & deeply polarising attack that referred to Banerjee as "anti-Hindu" & someone who appeases Pakistanis & Muslims & changed her traditional honorific of 'didi' to 'begum'. Listed as a 'star campaigner', Bachchan's presence comes after a promise from party boss Akhilesh Yadav to Mamata Banerjee that his party would campaign for her in this election. Jaya Bachchan will begin with a campaign for three-time Tollygunge MLA Aroop Biswas, who faces Union Minister Babul Supriyo in defence of his seat. Bengal's eight-phase poll is a quarter done; the third phase will be held on April 6. After April 6, Bengal has four more voting days - April 10, 17, 22, 26 and 29 - before D-Day on May 2.