Babul Supriyo plays the right notes, notches up second win in Asansol

Babul Supriyo

New Delhi: Bollywood singer-turned politician Babul Supriyo proved his mettle by winning the Lok Sabha poll from Asansol in West Bengal for the second time in 2019. The BJP leader defeated Moon Moon Sen (All India Trinamool Congress) by about 1.97 lakh votes.

The BJP has made significant inroads into West Bengal, offsetting losses in Uttar Pradesh. Supriyo, 48, who was the Minister of State for Heavy Industries and Public Sector Enterprises in the Narendra Modi government, began his political career only in March 2014 when he was inducted into the BJP and was promptly fielded by the party as its Lok Sabha candidate from Asansol.

In 2014, he had defeated Trinamool Congress bigwig Dola Sen. A commerce graduate, Supriyo became a minister in the Modi government in 2014. He was inducted as the Union Minister of State, Ministry of Urban Development and Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation in November 2014. On July 12, 2016, his portfolio was changed to Minister of State for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises. During the 2019 general elections, he faced an allegation of putting out a campaign song without the prior permission of the Election Commission.

However, he refuted the allegations, saying that the clip, which went viral on social media, was recorded and shared by the media. The general elections in Mamata Banerjee-ruled West Bengal were marred by several violent incidents, including one where Supriyo's car was allegedly vandalised. Supriyo's famous songs include "Dil Ne Dil Ko Pukara" (Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai), "Pari Pari Hai Ek Pari" (Hungama), and "Chanda Chamke" (Fanaa).

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