In West Bengal, the BJP’s top leaders have told state officials to think carefully before nominating movie stars for the 2026 assembly election.
The decision comes after the party’s 2021 experiment with celebrity candidates fell short. Except for designer‑turned‑politician Agnimitra Paul and actor Hiran Chatterjee, almost all film personalities who ran in 2021 lost their seats. After the results, many of these stars left the BJP and joined the Trinamool Congress within days, prompting a rethink on the party’s strategy.
A BJP state committee member said the central leadership will now assess three key criteria before anyone from the silver screen can run as a candidate:
- Ideological fit – Does the celebrity share the BJP’s core political values?
- Local knowledge – Can the star understand the social and geographic nuances of the constituency they might represent?
- Long‑term commitment – Will they stay involved in party affairs regardless of election outcomes?
B.L. Santhosh and Bhupendra Yadav—high‑ranking BJP leaders—conferred several times with state leaders over the past week, emphasizing caution about fielding celebrity names this time around.
The BJP’s move highlights how parties plan for the 2026 West Bengal assembly polls and shows a shift toward more disciplined candidate selection, aiming to avoid repeat setbacks from past years.
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