Seeking to bank on the star appeal of actors and sportspersons, Trinamool Congress is fielding Bengali filmstars Dev and Moon Moon Sen along with soccer star Baichung Bhutia in the Lok Sabha elections.
The list of party candidates from the world of culture and sports include five popular filmstars, two singers, two retired footballers and a theatre personality.
Reigning Tollywood superstar Dev, who has given a number of Bengali superhit films like 'Paglu', 'Challenge' and 'Chander Pahar', would contest from his hometown seat of Ghatal in West Midnapore district.
Bhutia, who retired from the national team in 2012, will try his luck in politics from the Darjeeling Hills. Another former footballer Prasun Banerjee will fight from Howrah.
Yesteryear actress Moon Moon Sen, mother of Hindi film starlets Riya and Raima, would fight from Bankura while another actress of the bygone era Sandhya Roy would contest from Midnapore seat.
Actor-turned-politicians Satabdi Roy and Tapas Paul, both sitting MPs, would fight from Birbhum and Krishnanagar.
Urban folk band 'Bhoomi's lead singer Soumitra Roy has been fielded from Malda north constituency while another singer Indranil Sen would contest from Behrampore.
Eminent theatre personality Arpita Ghosh, who is already a part of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's culture club, will be fielded from Balurghat.
Harvard University professor Sugata Bose, who is also a grandnephew of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, would contest from Jadavpur seat of Kolkata.
Announcing the list, Trinamool Congress chief Banerjee said it has people from various backgrounds, including the cultural world, to make a good combination of candidates.
"We have given priority to film stars because of their appeal and reach," she said.
