Dev likely to contest from West Bengal's Ghatal in 2024 Lok Sabha elections

Speaking to the reporters on the sidelines of an event in the city, Dev, a Trinamool Congress MP, said, "I have never said I will not contest or otherwise. At a time when people are promoting their girlfriend or wife or father or son in politics, I just wanted to campaign for my party if my absence would have hurt."

"But Didi (Mamata Banerjee, West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC chief) and Abhishek (Abhishek Banerjee, TMC national general secretary) told me something about the development of Ghatal, for which I would like to be in politics forever."

"Ghatal Master Plan is very important for my constituency. So I am likely to contest from Ghatal again," the 41-year-old said.

Politics won't let me go, says Dev meeting Mamata Banerjee, Abhishek Banerjee

Dev on Saturday dropped a big hint about his political future after meeting West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Trinamool Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee in Kolkata amid speculations over his political future.

Dev held a discussion with Abhishek at the latter's Camac Street office and then met TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee at her residence in Kalighat.

In a one-liner with a far-fetching meaning, Dev had told reporters, "As per my understanding, politics won't let me go even if I leave it."

The actor-producer had said this amid speculations that he may not contest in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, which will be held in 2024 summer.

Dev's cryptic post

On the last day of the Budget session of Parliament last week, Dev spoke about the Ghatal Masterplan for which he has remained vocal for years.

Speaking in Bengali, Dev said, "This is a problem which exists in Ghatal (Dev's constituency) since 1950. It is the problem of people who suffer due to floods. It's not a problem of TMC or BJP. I would request the Prime Minister to execute the Ghatal Masterplan.

"No matter if I stay MP or not, I want the problem to be solved."

Captioning the video, the actor-MP wrote, "My last day in the Parliament.. Thanku Didi. Thanku to the people of Ghatal Loksabha."

Dev steps down from posts

On Wednesday, Dev, who has recently resigned from three government posts in Ghatal, posted in an Instagram story, "Few More Hours."

Meanwhile, in an unverified audio clip, which went viral on social media, two people were heard talking about cut-money culture in Ghatal Lok Sabha constituency.

IBNS did not verify the audio clip.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Hiran Chatterjee has claimed Dev, a massively popular star in West Bengal, is involved in corruption.

Hiran told India Today, "I have always said that Dev is involved in corruption. Now the audio clip of a TMC leader from Ghatal named Shankar Doloi is viral, where he claims that Dev took a cut of 30 per cent from him.

"He said that he even informed Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, but nothing happened."

Earlier, reports had claimed Dev was reluctant to contest in the Lok Sabha elections 2024 but Mamata was keen to field the actor from the constituency, which was once a stronghold of the Left.