Jaya Bachchan is TMC's response to BJP's star campaigner Mithun

Noted actress Jaya Bachchan, also a Rajya Sabha MP of the Samajwadi Party, arrived in Kolkata on Sunday to campaign for ruling Trinamool Congress’s Aroop Biswas, who is in fray against BJP’s Babul Supriyo, an Union Minister, from Tollygunje constituency, known as the cinema neighbourhood of the city, during the ongoing assembly election.

Bachchan’s presence will not only counter the BJP using popular actor Mithun Chakraborty as star campaigner, but also reinforce the TMC slogan “Bangla Nijer Meyekei Chaye (Bengal wants its own daughter).”

Jaya is a Bengali from Jabalpur. It may be noted, her husband, legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan, is often referred to as the son-in-law of Bengal.

The actress-politician will reportedly stay in the city till April 7 and campaign everyday for the party during her stay. She will also share stage with the chief minister, reports suggest.

The TMC’s parliamentary committee will receive her at Trinamool Bhawan on EM Bypass on Monday following which the Padma Shri winner will also address a media conference.

Bachchan canvassing for the TMC comes on the line of Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav last month asking his supporters to support Mamata Banerjee’s TMC in her fight against the BJP in West Bengal.

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Besides Akhilesh, several other regional leaders, such as Tejashwi Yadav of RJD, Sanjay Raut of Shiv Sena, and Sharad Pawar of NCP had expressed their support for Banerjee in the ongoing assembly election in West Bengal.

The election to the 294-seat West Bengal assembly is being held in eight phases. Two of the phases are already over and the third will be held on Tuesday (April 6). The votes will be counted on May 2 after the last phase is held on April 29.