Seasoned politicos had frowned upon their greenhorn counterparts, but a number of celebrity candidates contesting from West Bengal, rode on star power to their way to parliament. However, a few had to embrace disappointment.
The Trinamool Congress' strategy to put up a host of stars from various fields paid rich dividend allowing it to register a thumping victory in 34 seats to nearly double its 2009 tally of 19.
Among its victorious star candidates, glamour-queen Moon Moon Sen turned out to be a giant killer defeating nine-time MP Basudeb Acharia of the Communist Party of India-Marxist in Bankura by 97,511 votes.
Reigning Bengal matinee idol Dev emerged victorious from Ghatal with a massive mandate. The other victorious Trinamool stars are actors Sandhya Roy (Midnapore), Tapas Pal (Krishnanagar) and Satabdi Roy (Birbhum).
However, three of its celebrity candidates - football icon Bhaichung Bhutia and singers Soumitra Roy and Indranil Sen - had to eat the humble pie. Contesting from Darjeeling, Bhutia was humbled by BJP veteran SS Ahluwalia, by 196,795 votes.
Fielded in the Congress bastion of Malda South and Bahrampur, Trinamool crooners Roy and Sen were defeated by sitting MPs Mausam Noor and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury respectively.
While most of its star nominees including famed music composer Bappi Lahiri and renowned magician PC Sorcar were no match for their seasoned political rivals. Famed crooner Babul Supriyo pulled off a stunning victory in Asansol defeating Trinamool's Dola Sen by over 70,000 votes.
Contesting from Sreerampore, Lahiri polled over 2.8 lakh votes but ended up third as Trinamool's Kalyan Banerjee romped in to his second term.
Sorcar failed to cast his spell on Barasat voters which elected Trinamool's Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar for a second time. Former India football captain and Trinamool's Howrah nominee Prasun Banerjee retained the seat spoiling BJP's actor candidate George Baker's political foray.
West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress put up a spectacular show, sweeping the Lok Sabha polls in the state to emerge as the fourth-largest party in the new Lok Sabha, while the BJP signalled its rise as a force by eating into the vote share of the erstwhile rulers Left Front which was nearly wiped out.
The Congress, however, put up a stubborn fight to largely hold on to its pockets of strength in the state.
Of the state's 42 seats, the Trinamool picked up 34, recording its best performance as it nearly doubled its 19 seat tally of 2009. However, five years back, the Trinamool had an alliance with the Congress, and this time it fought the polls alone.
The Trinamool snatched 14 seats from the Left Front, and also unseated the only Socialist Unity Centre of India-Communist (SUCI-C) MP.
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