"Will now be able to serve the people...," says Yusuf Pathan ahead of Lok Sabha elections

Speaking to ANI, Pathan said, "It feels good to come into politics from the sports field. I am talking to people. I will now be able to solve people's problems and serve them. This makes me feel good."

Earlier, cricketer-turned-politician Yusuf Pathan said that he will try to ensure that most of the residents in his constituency get a job there and stay with their families.

On being asked about the alleged large-scale outmigration of workers hailing from Murshidabad, Pathan said, "I will try to make most of the people from here, work here and stay with their families. It is also a question of individual choice."

Speaking on his reception in Murshidabad, Pathan said, "The love I have received here, I hope it remains. When I see in the people's eyes, it seems that they are seeking change. All these motivate me to work for them."

"It was heartening for me to see the positive involvement of youth in politics, they want a change and they are looking for someone who can work for them," he added.

Meanwhile, the ruling party in the state released a list of star campaigners for Phase 2 of polling for the Lok Sabha to be held on April 26.

Mamata Banerjee, Abhishek Banerjee, Shatrughan Sinha, Kalyan Banerjee, Aroop Biswas, Chandrima Bhattacharya, Firhad Hakim, Moloy Ghatak, Dr Manas Ranjan Bhunia Arpita Ghosh, Bratya Basu, Babul Supriyo Deepak Adhikari (Dev), Dr Shashi Panja, Satabdi Roy, Mamata Thakur, Manoj Tiwary, Partha Bhowmick, Tanmoy Ghosh, Snehasis Chakraborty, Birbaha Hansda, Ritabrata Banerjee, Ambarish Sarkar, Ashima Patra, Kunal Ghosh, Saayoni Ghosh, and June Maliah feature in the TMC's list of star campaigners for polling to be held on April 26.

In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the TMC won 34 seats in the state, while the BJP had to settle for 2 seats. The CPI (M) won 2 seats, while the Congress bagged 4.

However, the BJP came up with a much-improved showing in the 2019 polls, winning 18 seats against the TMC's 22. The Congress's tally dropped to just 2 seats, while the Left scored a blank.

Polling for the Lok Sabha in Bengal will take place across all 7 phases, starting April 19. The counting of votes has been scheduled for June 4. (ANI)