Actor Mithun Chakraborty, who recently joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the West Bengal Assembly polls has been provided 'Y+' security by the Centre. The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has initiated the process to provide him with security, sources said.
The Centre's decision to provide the security cover to Chakraborty comes a day after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday claimed that she was allegedly pushed by a few people during her poll campaign in Nandigram. Banerjee is now admitted to the SSKM Hospital in Kolkata with an injury in her foot.
Mithun Chakraborty joined the BJP at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's election rally at the Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata on March 7.
While joining BJP, Chakraborty said his dream came true by sharing a stage with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "I had never imagined that I will be sharing the dais where the biggest leader of the biggest democracy our beloved PM Narendra Modi is about to speak. I always had a dream to work for the poor, downtrodden. Now, it is seen as being fulfilled," he had said at the Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata.
The actor-turned-politician has also been placed among the top campaigners for the party for the forthcoming Assembly polls in West Bengal.
Chakraborty, 70, was a Rajya Sabha MP for the Trinamool Congress (TMC) for two years. He resigned from the position in 2016 citing health reasons after his name surfaced in the Saradha ponzi scam.
West Bengal Assembly elections will be held in eight phases starting from March 27 with the final round of voting taking place on April 29. The counting of votes will take place on May 2.
The state is likely to witness a triangular contest this time with TMC, Congress-Left alliance and the BJP in the fray.
( With inputs from ANI )
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