Former Indian footballer Prasun Banerjee has won the by-polls to the Howrah Parliamentary Constituency in West Bengal, thus making it to the Lok Sabha in his first attempt to do so. The seat fell vacant following the death of TMC MP Ambika Banerjee.
Prasun Banerjee has been a former Indian football captain and has been awarded Arjuna Award in 1979-80. The skillful midfielder and anchorman was also a part of Mohun Bagan in the 70s. He had been a part of the Mohun Bagan’s first XI which played against Cosmos featuring Pele in 1977. He has also played for Mohammedan SC in Kolkata.
Prasun Banerjee is the younger brother of another Indian football legend, Prasanta Kumar Banerjee, popularly known as PK Banerjee.
In the by-polls, Mr. Banerjee earned 4,26,273 votes, eclipsing his nearest rival, CPI(M)’s Sridip Bhattacherjee by a margin of 27,015 votes. Prasun Banerjee reprsents Trinamool Congress which is led by Mamata Banerjee, the current Chief Minister of West Bengal. Prasun Banerjee is immensely popular among Howrah local from his footballing days and at road shows and rallies, the former player often juggles a football.
Prasun Banerjee, probably, becomes the first Indian national team footballer to be a member of the Lok Sabha.
