Popular Bengali television personality Rachana Banerjee has recently ventured into the realm of politics, announcing her candidacy for the upcoming Lok Sabha 2024 election. Renowned for her role as the host of the beloved Bengali TV reality show Didi No. 1, Rachana will be vying for a seat in the Hooghly constituency.
The announcement came during a rally at Brigade Ground on March 10, where West Bengal’s Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Mamata Banerjee unveiled the party’s full candidate list for the upcoming election. Rachana’s opponent in the Hooghly constituency is none other than fellow actress-turned-politician Locket Chatterjee, who is representing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Despite their political rivalry, Rachana and Locket share a long-standing camaraderie rooted in their shared experiences in the entertainment industry. The actresses have collaborated on various projects in the past, including films like ‘Paribar’, ‘Tyaag’, and ‘Chaoya Paoya’. Rachana fondly reminisces about their time together on set, recalling moments of camaraderie such as sharing pickles.
Speculation surrounding Rachana’s potential entry into politics began to swirl after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee made a guest appearance on Rachana’s show, Didi No. 1, in a special episode aired on March 3. Rachana herself had visited Nabanna to extend the invitation to the CM. However, Rachana clarified that her visit was solely to invite Mamata Banerjee to her show, emphasizing that any decision regarding her political career would be announced by the Chief Minister herself.
Following her meeting with Mamata Banerjee, Rachana filmed another special episode of Didi No. 1 with the Chief Minister at Dumurjala Stadium in Howrah. The episode featured notable figures such as TMC MLA and singer Indranil Sen, as well as singer Aditi Munshi, who has close ties to the political party.
