Amid Lok Sabha polling, Shekhar Suman reveals why he decided to join hands with BJP. He also credits Narendra Modi for helping India come out of a ‘limbo’.
In 2009, Shekhar Suman ran for the Lok Sabha seat from Patna Sahib on Congress ticket but lost to BJP candidate Shatrughan Sinha. Three years later, the former resigned from Congress. And earlier this month, he joined hands with the BJP amid the polling for Lok Sabha Elections in the country. However, he has no plans of quitting acting and becoming a full-time politician.
In an exclusive chat with Showsha, he says, “I want to still be an actor who’s a part of politics so that it empowers me to do the kind of things I want to do for my industry and my state. I don’t want to get into any political turmoil and debate and have any political ambitions, so to speak. I’m not a politician. I don’t want to be in politics and yet be in politics and do the kind of things that I wanted to do.”
While he remains tight-lipped about the changes he wants to bring about through his political work in the film industry, he states that he has no intention of continuing his BJP journey if he’s unable to fulfil his goals. “It’s not like if I’m not able to deliver, I’ll still linger on. I’ve set myself a time limit and if I’m not able to deliver what I’ve promised myself, I’ll opt out. I’ve come here for a specific reason – to serve. If I’m unable to serve, there’s no point being there just for the sake of it. But when you come with so much of positivity and determination, then god also helps,” Shekhar states.
But what made him leave Congress and join hands with the ruling party after 12 years? “I think BJP has done fabulous works over the years. As a citizen, you’re always assessing your government and when you feel that they’re doing the best for the country, then every citizen in a way should extend their support and express their solidarity,” the 61-year-old tells us.
It was, however, the inauguration of Ram Mandir and a consecration ceremony on January 22 this year that really nudged him to join forces with BJP. “When Ram Lalla came back to Ayodhya, that’s the day I decided that I’ve to join hands with them. For me, Ram is hope, faith, India and Hindustan. I felt that India, in a way, was losing its identity. No Indian was happy going out of the country and being told that this is a country where people don’t respect each other, there’s always communal fights going on, it’s a third world country and nothing is good about it,” he opines.
The Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar actor lauds Prime Minister Narendra Modi for bringing India out of a ‘limbo’ and talking about the same, he says, “And here was a man who came and straightened things out. Now, every Indian feels proud of being an Indian when they go out of the country. The image of India has brightened and escalated today. And I think there’s one man who’s responsible for this and he is Shri Narendra Modi ji. One needed to join his hand and strengthen it.”