Donning saffron turban and wearing blue shirt, actor and BJP candidate Sunny Deol filed his nomination papers as SAD-BJP combine candidate from Gurdaspur Lok Sabha seat on Monday. The new entrant to politics has declared total assets, including that of his wife, as Rs 87.18 crore.
Evoking his Punjab-connection while amusing his audience with filmy dialogues, the Bollywood angry man delivered his brief and power-packed four-minute speech during his first election rally wherein his younger brother Bobby Deol, two Union Ministers and local party leaders, including Kavita Khanna, wife of late Vinod Khanna, and Swaran Salaria, were present.
Reminding voters of his patriotic character in Gadar and referring to his dhai kilo ka haath from Damini, Sunny declared that he had not come to make promises “but to associate with you (the people)”.
Amid loud cheering and bole so nihaal slogan, Sunny called himself a “patriot” who does not know much about politics. The Jat Sikh, who addressed the rally splashed with movie dialogues, started his address with “Mere Gurdaspur walo, Sat Sri Akal”.
Striking an emotional chord with the people, he said when he was given ticket for Gurdaspur, his father Dharmender said, “Sunny, you should accept the opportunity for the sake of your love for Punjab.”
Yesteryears’ Bollywood superstar Dharmendra could not make it to Sunny’s nomination event, but tweeted his support asking the people of Gurdaspur to back his son, saying his victory will be that of the people of “my Punjab”.
Despite initial rebellion from within after the ticket to Sunny from Gurdaspur, the BJP managed to put up a united show on Monday.
Kavita Khanna, who had earlier expressed disappointment with the party for not fielding her from the seat once held by her late husband Vinod Khanna, was at the rally to express support for Sunny. Another ticket-aspirant Swaran Salaria too was present on the occasion.
Thanking the people of Gurdaspur, Deol said, “I am here because you invited me. My father told me that you stay in the heart of each person in Punjab — son, go there and they will shower you with love. I want to tell you that I love you a lot.”
“I do not know much about politics but I am a patriot,” he said, adding, “I have come here to connect with you because I want our Punjab and our country to scale new heights...All of you join me and we will fight together, and win this battle.”
Saying he seeks people’s support so that Modi returns as PM, Sunny said, “If you make me victorious, then Modiji will win and you will win...
“I am saying from my heart that whatever you need, I will fulfil that. I belong to you and will never go anywhere else.”
The ruling Congress in Punjab had earlier targeted Sunny, alleging that he will “disappear” once the elections are over.
In his first ballot battle, Sunny is is pitted against sitting Congress MP and party’s State unit chief Sunil Jakhar, Aam Aadmi Party’s Peter Masih and People’s Democratic Alliance’s Lal Chand.
Jakhar won the seat in a 2017 by-election, necessitated by the death of Vinod Khanna in April that year. The actor had represented the seat four-times, in 1998, 1999, 2004 and 2014.
Before filing his papers in Gurdaspur, Sunny Deol offered prayers at the Golden Temple and the Durgiana Temple in Amritsar, and also visited Balmiki Ram Tirath.
