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BJP's star move: Vinod Khanna from Gurdaspur

Suparn Verma in Bombay

In the list of 'prize catches' that the Bharatiya Janata Party has been announcing to the world, it has announced the name of ageing Bollywood actor Vinod Khanna to contest on its ticket from the Gurdaspur seat in Punjab. In past elections too, the party had fielded various small-time actors and actresses like Nitish Bhardwaj, Dipika Chikhlia and Arvind Trivedi on its ticket.

In the eleventh Lok Sabha, the Gurdaspur seat was represented by the Congress's veteran parliamentarian Sukhbans Kaur, who defeated her BJP rival by more than 65,000 votes. However, the Shiromani Akali Dal candidate had taken away 140,812 votes. Since the BJP and the SAD are in an alliance this time, Khanna's chances, at least on paper, seem quite bright.

Speaking to Rediff On The NeT from New Delhi, Khanna, who turned film producer with Himalayputra, said his decision to join politics came about when he decided "It was time that people like us made a stand and took part in things actively."

Although the actual decision came just a few days ago. He said he had been mulling over the issue "for some time now". "I joined the BJP just a few days ago and it was a mutual decision, the BJP was interested in me and I believe in their Hindutva philosophy. I felt it was the right time and the right party to contest the election."

Khanna dispelled the notion that his fellow actor turned politician Shatrughan Sinha, who is also a BJP MP, had anything to do with his decision to join the party.

Though he did not elaborate on what his agenda to the voters of Gurdaspur would be, like a loyal soldier, he states, "My agenda is the party's agenda."

Khanna is only the latest in the long list of actors -- Amitabh Bachchan, Rajesh Khanna, Shatrughan Sinha, Sunil Dutt among others -- who have forsaken greasepaint for the more greasy world of politics. "I cannot comment on my success or failure because I haven't started campaigning as yet." But he dispels the notion that he will give up films. "I won't leave films, I will continue to do roles here and there as I have been doing."

The actor says his family is with him, "they totally supported my decision and were very happy about it." But he wouldn't talk about his sons, Bollywood heart-throb Akshaye Khanna and MTV veejay Rahul Khanna joining him on the campaign trail. "I don't know about that as yet."

For Vinod Khanna, who abandoned his flourishing movie career for Osho Rajneesh in the early eighties, is a surprise convert to Hindutva. "I still believe in the principles of Osho, and I believe in Hindutva, it's a philosophy which is very secular, but has been misquoted and misinterpreted," he offers by way of explanation.

One thing Khanna did promise was "I will try and incorporate the principles of Osho when I'm active as a politician." As to how he would do it, he promised to reveal all later since "how would I do it will involve a long and elaborate discussion?"

The news of his entering politics has come as a surprise even to close associates like director (Border) J P Dutta, who said he would confirm the news with Khanna before reacting.

RELATED LINK:
The Vinod Khanna Chat

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