Last Updated: April 05, 2023, 5:57 PM IST
Sudeep, who has a huge fan following in Karnataka and one of the highest-paid actors of Kannada cinema, also indicated that he was not backing a party. (Image: News18)
Speaking to the media in Bengaluru, Kichcha Sudeep said he will only campaign for the BJP and not contest the elections
Hours after leading Kannada film actor Sudeep Sanjeev (popularly known as Kichcha Sudeep) announced his support to Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai in the Karnataka assembly polls, Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala on Wednesday said a film star is free to choose whom to support during the elections. The Rajya Sabha MP further said that it is the people who will decide the fate of the poll-bound state on May 10 and not film stars.
Taking to Twitter, Surjewala said, “A Film Star is free to choose whom to support, sometimes by IT-ED or otherwise. Bankruptcy of BJP in #Karnataka is clear. As no one turns up to listen to CM Bommai & BJP leaders, they now rely upon Film Stars to draw a crowd. People, not Film Stars, will decide the fate of Karnataka.”
A Film Star is free to choose whom to support, sometimes by IT-ED or otherwise.Bankruptcy of BJP in #Karnataka is clear.
As no one turns up to listen to CM Bommai & BJP leaders, they now rely upon Film Stars to draw crowd.
People, not Film Stars,will decide fate of Karnataka.
— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) April 5, 2023
Speaking to the media in Bengaluru, Sudeep said he will only campaign for the BJP and not contest the elections. When asked if he agrees with the ideology of BJP, he was quoted as saying by news agency ANI, “…I totally respect certain decisions Mr Modi has taken, but that has got nothing to do with me sitting here today…”
Bommai, who was sitting next to him at the press conference, said Sudeep supporting him means the actor would campaign for the BJP.
Sudeep, who has a huge fan following in Karnataka and one of the highest-paid actors of Kannada cinema, also indicated that he was not backing a party.
Stressing his affection and respect for the Chief Minister and recalling that he stood by him during his difficult times and shared a very close bond with his family, the actor announced his support to Bommai.
Sudeep, best known for his performances in films such as ‘Swathi Muthu’, ‘Kempe Gowda’, ‘Eega’, and ‘Pailwaan’, hails from Shivamogga district and belongs to the Valmiki Nayaka community, the largest tribes in the ST category, in Karnataka.
Sudeep, 49, who has acted in movies in Hindi, Telugu and Tamil, in addition to Kannada, said he would campaign for “some of the people he (Bommai) wants him to support”.
Bommai said he had told Sudeep that even though he is not joining the BJP, his campaigning is “necessary”.
When Sudeep says he is extending me support, it means along with me he would campaign for the BJP .”Sudeep doesn’t belong to any party. He has come to support me, and the party I belong to”. “Sudeep’s support gives big strength to BJP’s campaign”, the Chief Minister said.
(with inputs from PTI)
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