RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat in actor Mithun Chakrabarty’s Mumbai home; actor to join BJP?

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat called on actor and former Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Mithun Chakraborty in his Mumbai home late on Monday – leading to speculations on whether the popular Bengali actor may be part of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

After talks on the possibility of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Saurav Ganguly joining the BJP not taking concrete shape yet, there is now a fresh round of rumours and speculations around Mithun Chakraborty.

The Bengali actor – popular in Bengal and across the country – hasn’t clarified about the meeting, but said that he has a “spiritual connect with Bhagwat. This has fuelled speculations that Chakraborty – who had severed ties with the Trinamool Congress – may join the BJP to make a comeback. He has further added that he had met Bhagwat in Lucknow and had invited him to his Mumbai home whenever he is in that part of the city. “He was in my place for that invite,” Chakraborty said.

However, whether this is a purely “spiritual” or “political” connect, continues to be speculated on. The actor and former MP has urged journalists to not speculate, as “till now” nothing of that sort has taken place, as in other words, such possibilities exist.

Sources close to Mithun Chakraborty however, say that he is no longer interested in politics, and he has withdrawn himself from the Trinamool Congress when his name came up in the Saradha chit fund scam. He had written to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and returned the money, and stepped down as MP. However, party insiders say that there are speculations that the BJP wants to use him for political campaigns ahead of the Assembly elections this year. However, while Mithun Chakraborty had said recently that he is yet to take a call on that, the recent meeting with Bhagwat has fuelled speculations on the possibility.