Bengaluru: While Tamil superstar Rajnikanth has kept his fans guessing about his political ambitions, popular Kannada actor and director, Upendra, followed up his many hints on Saturday to announce that he was launching a new party in “an honest attempt to serve the people of Karnataka.”
With the state heading for polls next year, the actor’s announcement could take the wind out of the sails of the existing parties, which may not relish the competition. Assuring that his party would not be based on money power, the actor invited people to join him in bringing a change in the way politics was conducted, saying he was all for ‘Prajaakiya’, and not ‘Rajakiya’.
The actor’s announcement comes a day after his audio message to the public went viral on social media. He has been dropping hints about his political interests for some time now especially after he directed and acted in the film, Super that satirised the present political system.
While his often professed admiration for Prime Minister Narendra Modi had led to rumours about his joining the BJP and even meeting its national president, Amit Shah during his latest visit to the state, the actor has sprung a surprise with his decision to launch a new party and contest the coming assembly poll.
While revealing that he was invited by political parties to join them, he, however, refused to name them. The “real star” as he is popularly known, said he would announce the name of his party, and its symbol after going through all the formalities involved in its launch. In the meanwhile he invited people to send in their ideas and suggestions on how to make his party both transparent and effective.
“Everyone should come forward, it is an open forum. Please come forward and share your ideas without any hesitation or fear that politics needs money, muscle power or caste support. Let us all join together and make a new beginning,” he implored. The actor clarified that once he completed the films he has already signed, he would entirely dedicate himself to politics. “Many would say I am doing the impossible but I am an optimist and I will have the satisfaction of knowing that I made an attempt to change the system rather than merely criticizing it. I don’t fear losing and nor am I too confident that we will win overnight. We have nothing to lose especially as there is no money involved. It is only the people who will decide the fate of my party and not the existing vote bank politics," he declared.
Those interested in the actor’s political outfit have been invited toemail their suggestions to him on prajaakarana1@gmail.com; prajaakarana2@gmail.com or prajaakarana3@gmail.com They have also been given the option of posting their ideas/suggestions to him to Ruppi's Resort, near Dodda Aladamara, Bengaluru.
