YouTuber behind Kolkata restaurant beef row, influencers, RJ and actors funded by BJP during Bengal polls

As per the expenditure statements filed with the Election Commission, the Bharatiya Janata Party spent ₹286.99 crore on the West Bengal Assembly Elections. With the details of expenditure now in public domain, names of several youtubers have surfaced who have received money from the BJP during the assembly polls. A deeper analysis of the expenditure reveals that a total ₹55.76 crores have been paid to 36 such social media personalities by the BJP’s central unit from New Delhi, between March 15 to May 6. Most of these influencers are well known in social and political circles who produced journalistic content during the run up to the polls.

Sayak Chakraborty: ₹2.5 lakh

On January 30, 2026 Sayak Chakraborty accused a Muslim waiter at a prominent restaurant in Kolkata’s Park Street of allegedly serving beef preparation instead of the mutton item that he ordered. The altercation at the restaurant was recorded on video. The waiter was arrested for hurting religious sentiments. The ECI report now revealed that he was paid ₹2.5 lakhs by the BJP for making content for the advertisement on the ‘general party propaganda’. The Trinamool Congress has accused the actor of manufacturing such a narrative deliberately in exchange for money to create disharmony. The 31-year-old actor, a familiar face in Bengali television, also runs a YouTube channel @withlovesayak that has over 88,000 subscribers.

Sayak Chakraborty said that he agreed to make content for the BJP as the party supported him during the beef incident. “The incident at the restaurant was on January 30 and was an instant reaction. There was no politics. Many parties approached me to make content after the incident, but I only agreed to BJP as they supported me during the incident,” he said in a social media post.

 Shamik Adhikary: ₹13 lakh

The popular vlogger goes by @Nonsane with over 3.5 lakh subscribers on YouTube. In BJP’s payees’ list during the election, Mr. Adhikary received ₹13 lakh. In February, he also uploaded a series called ‘Button’ criticising the former ruling Trinamool Congress government over the RG Kar rape and murder case and rising unemployment and urged the voters to press the EVM button wisely. The series was widely shared on social media, including by several BJP leaders. He was also arrested over allegations of sexual assault. The arrest triggered allegations of political retribution by TMC. 

 Sangit Sarkar: ₹2 lakh

The well-known Bangladeshi singer, Sangit Sarkar, was paid ₹2 lakh by BJP during the election, as per the ECI report. Mr. Sarkar is known for his protest songs and lyrics with strong socio-political commentary on Bangladesh’s freedom struggle, and recent civil unrest. For the last one year, Mr. Sarkar, with over 2 lakh subscribers on YouTube, however, composed several songs on contemporary situations in West Bengal criticising the TMC government. These songs included ‘Chakri Churi’ during the teachers’ protest who lost their jobs after the 2016 SSC examination was cancelled, ‘Jolche Bangla’ on the rampant corruption in the state administration, ‘Jongir Jom’ on BJP’s aggressive push against terrorism to secure the border areas.

Pinakpani Ghosh: ₹5.25 lakh

A former journalist with a leading Bengali newspaper for over three decades, Pinakpani Ghosh, runs a YouTube channel- Pinak Ki Bolche– with over 2.4 lakh subscribers. In the channel’s description, he said that his “main goal is to bring truth which matters in public life”.  During the election, he was paid ₹5.25 lakh by the BJP. His contents are mostly analysis on the politics and social issues which have always been heavily critical to Mamata Banerjee and her party over a host of issues including corruption, poor law and order situation in the state. He has also made satirical videos on Mamata Banerjee’s poetry books and Abhishek Banerjee.

Priyanka Sarkar: ₹15 lakh

A former radio jockey Priyanka Sarkar alias RJ Priyanka, is a popular face on Instagram with over 10.4 lakh followers. A primary perspective in her videos is mocking TMC’s direct cash transfer welfare schemes by contrasting them with the lack of structural employment in West Bengal. The ECI report showed that she received ₹15 lakh from BJP during the election. Reacting to the development, she said that she made only two contents on the launch of sleeper Vande Bharat train by PM Narendra Modi in January and another on key initiatives announced in the Union Budget in February. “It was a normal promotion. Neither have I harmed anyone’s sentiment nor reputation. I am not a supporter of any party. I have made videos during the RG Kar incident. But I have also made videos on the NEET paper leak case,” Ms. Sarkar said.

Political reactions

Citing the payments made to the youtubers and influencers, Trinamool MLA Kunal Ghosh accused the BJP of manufacturing a narrative of religious polarisation by paying youtubers and social media influencers ahead of the West Bengal Assembly polls. BJP state spokesperson Debjit Sarkar defended the payments saying the party played by the book. “Yes. We have paid influencers. So what? We will do it again. We have absolutely played by the book.” he said.