TMC MP Dev congratulates BJP on Bengal poll win as Mamata rejects verdict
Synopsis
While Mamata Banerjee refused to accept Bengal's Assembly election result, her own three-time MP and film star Dev publicly congratulated the BJP — and used the moment to call for an end to what he described as a 'culture of bans and divisions' in the Bengali film industry, a pointed reference to the 2022 Nandan controversy involving his film Projapati.
Key Takeaways
Dev (Deepak Adhikari) , TMC's three-time Lok Sabha MP from Ghatal , congratulated the BJP on its West Bengal Assembly election victory on Wednesday .
TMC chief Mamata Banerjee has refused to accept the verdict and step down as Chief Minister.
Dev urged the new BJP government to end the 'culture of bans and divisions' in the Bengali film industry.
His 2022 film Projapati , co-starring Mithun Chakraborty , was reportedly denied a slot at Nandan , the state-run film complex in Kolkata .
Dev also called on the new government to support completion of the Ghatal Master Plan , a long-pending flood management project.
Trinamool Congress (TMC) Lok Sabha member and Bengali film star Deepak Adhikari, popularly known as Dev, on Wednesday congratulated the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on its West Bengal Assembly election victory — even as TMC supremo and outgoing Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee refused to accept the verdict or step down. The move by the three-time MP from Ghatal constituency in West Midnapore district marks a striking public divergence from his own party's position.
Dev's Congratulatory Message
Point of View
And Dev's reference to 'bans and divisions' lands squarely on that wound. What is notable is the timing: by speaking before Mamata has even conceded, Dev is either positioning himself for the post-TMC landscape or sending a message to his own party about the cost of cultural politics. Either way, it is the loudest internal dissent the TMC has faced on the morning after a historic defeat.
NationPress
7 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did TMC MP Dev congratulate the BJP on Bengal's election result?
Dev posted a congratulatory message on Facebook addressed to the BJP, expressing hope that the new government would work for Bengal's progress, peace and development. He also used the occasion to urge the new government to end what he called a 'culture of bans and divisions' in the Bengali film industry.
What is the Nandan controversy involving Dev's film Projapati?
Dev's 2022 film Projapati was reportedly not allotted any screening slot at Nandan, the state-run film complex in Kolkata, when it released in December 2022. The BJP alleged the exclusion was politically motivated because Dev's co-star Mithun Chakraborty had by then joined the BJP, though no official explanation was provided by the state government.
What is the Ghatal Master Plan that Dev has called on the new government to support?
The Ghatal Master Plan is a major flood management project aimed at tackling recurring floods in Ghatal and surrounding low-lying areas in West Midnapore through river dredging, embankment strengthening, and improved drainage systems. Dev has consistently advocated for its completion throughout his tenure as MP.
Has Dev expressed doubts about staying in the Trinamool Congress before?
In early 2024, Dev publicly stated he was uncertain about contesting the Lok Sabha elections again, saying the final decision would rest with Mamata Banerjee. Despite his hesitation, TMC fielded him from Ghatal for a third consecutive term.
How has Mamata Banerjee responded to the Bengal Assembly election result?
According to reports, Mamata Banerjee has refused to accept the Assembly election verdict and declined to step down as Chief Minister, putting her at direct odds with the outcome and with the public stance of her own MP Dev.
