Trinamool doesn't need to indulge in mudslinging: MP Dev

Kolkata, March 28 (IANS) Popular Bengali actor and Trinamool Congress MP Dev alias Deepak Adhikari, who is contesting to retain his Ghatal Lok Sabha seat, said on Thursday that his party did not need to indulge in mudslinging as the state government has undertaken numerous development works.

Dev, contesting the polls for the second time, also said that he was more experienced this time.

"I have worked whole heartedly for the people of Ghatal. The first two years were spent in learning. This time I am more experienced and if I win, you will see a new 'Dev'. We don't need to indulge in mudslinging as our Chief Minister has done enough for the state," Dev said after kicking off his election campaign by offering puja at a temple.

Addressing the people of Keshpur, which is part of his Lok Sabha constituency, the actor elaborated the development works undertaken by the state government and the various schemes that have benefited the people.

For Dev, the priority is "to reach out to the people with the development works done by him and the party." 

Asked to rate himself as a parliamentarian, he said: "The number keeps changing. As I belong to the film industry, I am used to the fact that if one film is successful, it is not necessary that the next one will do well too."

"I am a very practical person," he said.

Dev mentioned that he read somewhere that in terms of the funds released under the Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS), he occupied the third position, but he never thought about all this while working.

"I had spoken about the Ghatal Masterplan in the parliament. It had been sanctioned, but the funds have not been released till date. I also spoke about the railways. In this way, I have learnt how to work," he said.

Appealing to the people to repose their trust in him, Dev said that given a chance, he would do more things that he could not accomplish in his first tenure as the MP.

Ghatal goes to the polls on May 12 in the sixth round of the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections.