New responsibility won't affect my love for music: Babul Supriyo

KOLKATA: Thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi for restoring faith in his capabilities, singer-turned-BJP MP Babul Supriyo, who was today sworn in as a minister of state, said his new responsibilities won't affect his passion for music.

Supriyo, the MP from Asansol in West Bengal, said he would work for the masses and would fully cooperate with the state leadership with an eye on 2016 Assembly polls.

"I would like to thank Narendra Modiji for restoring faith in me. This new duty has increased my responsibilities both as politically and administratively. I will work for the masses and will fully cooperate with my state unit with an eye on 2016 Assembly polls," Supriyo told a Bengali news channel.

Asked whether he would leave his passion for music after taking charge as minister, he said, "Music is like a charger in my life. I can't do without music, it inspires me in lot of ways. Today Modiji himself today told me to balance between both music and my new responsibility."

On Trinamool Congress minister Subrata Mukherjee's statement that Supriyo is a half minister as he has been sworn in as an MoS, he said, "I know Subratada personally for a long time. I know it is not his personal opinion."

Mukherjee earlier today slammed the BJP for inclusion of Supriyo as a minister of state saying an MoS could not do anything for the state.

Supriyo is one of the two BJP MPs elected to the Lok Sabha from West Bengal in the general elections.