The Trinamool Congress has named actress Saayoni Ghosh as their candidate from Asansol South for the West Bengal Assembly Elections 2021. The elections are due to take place over 8 phases from the 27th of March with results due to be declared on the 2nd of May.
Actress Saayoni Ghosh to contest from Asansol South: @MamataOfficial, West Bengal CM | #May2WithTimesNow pic.twitter.com/uriHBuAKDu
— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) March 5, 2021
Incidentally, Saayoni Ghosh is the same individual who was slammed on social media for insulting Lord Shiva after her tweet from 2015 resurfaced on social media.
On February 18, 2015, the actress had tweeted a picture wherein a female character was seen putting a condom over the sacred Hindu symbol of a Shivling. She wrote, “Gods cudnt have been more useful.” Her tweet maligning Hindu culture was posted on the auspicious occasion of Maha Shivratri, which was observed on February 17 that year.
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.opindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/0-1.jpg?resize=593%2C727&ssl=1)
Saayoni Ghosh had subsequently issued an apology claiming that her account had been hacked. Following the announcement of her candidature from Asansol South, people have interpreted the move as the complete disregard for Hindu sentiments on the part of Mamata Banerjee and Trinamool Congress.
Insult Hinduism, become a leader!
— INFERNO (@TheAngryLord) March 5, 2021
Bahot secular @Mamataofficial pic.twitter.com/8zJYtqHY0U
#SaayoniGhosh who had insulted the sentiments of crores of people, is #Trinamool candidate from Asansol Dakshin pic.twitter.com/bwUiVHyBCA
— Chayan Chatterjee (@Satyanewshi) March 5, 2021
TMC Candidate from Asansol Dakshin Saayoni Ghosh insulated Hindu Gods on Twitter. #Asansol People will you vote such Candidates who are Anti Hindu. @TwitterIndia @verified what action you have taken #WestBengalElections2021 pic.twitter.com/xjOQ1h4SI8
— Ashish Merkhed – आशिष मेरखेड (@AshishMerkhed) March 5, 2021
She is Saayoni Ghosh,an actress & now @AITCofficial candidate from Asansol Dakhin who insulted our shiv ji.
— Deep (@SudipaBhatt) March 5, 2021
Mamata rewarded her with the ticket today. pic.twitter.com/qhjBZ9paX9
It remains to be seen whether the move by Trinamool Congress affects the electoral prospects of the party in the elections. Trinamool Congress has already earned a bad name for itself for rampant minority appeasement and disregard for Hindu sentiments.
The elections will be tightly fought with Mamata Banerjee struggling to retain her bastion. In recent times, her party has had to contend with a series of resignations; the most notable being Suvendu Adhikari who has joined the BJP since then and is in line to be BJP’s candidate from Nandigram versus Mamata Banerjee herself.