Close X
Monday, November 25, 2024
ADVT 
Bollywood

Shatrughan's Biggest Regret: Contesting Election Against Rajesh Khanna

Darpan News Desk IANS, 05 Jan, 2016 11:36 AM
  • Shatrughan's Biggest Regret: Contesting Election Against Rajesh Khanna
Actor-turned politician Shatrughan Sinha has said that contesting elections against Bollywood star Rajesh Khanna was his biggest regret and he had apologised to him too.
 
"If there is one regret that I have in politics, it is that I was made to fight Rajesh Khanna from Delhi in 1991," Sinha revealed in his biography "Anything But Khamosh" slated to be released on Wednesday.
 
Sinha revealed that losing the electoral battle was one of his rare moments of dejection and he had apologised to Khanna.
 
"For this, in his lifetime, I had apologised to Rajesh Khanna both directly and indirectly. Under no circumstances should I have started my active political career with a bye-election. But I couldn't say no to (L.K.) Advani ji, who was my guide, guru and ultimate leader," Sinha said in the book.
 
Advani, who had contested and won the 1991 elections from Gandhinagar and New Delhi, had opted for his seat in Gujarat.
 
In the bye-election that followed for the Delhi seat, then political novice Sinha was brought in by the BJP to counter the Congress candidate Rajesh Khanna.
 
 
Sinha insisted that he joined the party and fought the bye-election "Only because of the persuasion of Kalyan Singh, Shanta Kumar, Madan Lal Khurana and other party leaders.
 
"I had initially resisted all their overtures but I was finally taken before Advani ji, and he had said, 'It's a question of our prestige and I don't want to hear a 'No' from you this time."
 
"When I lost that election, it was one of my rare moments of dejection," he said.
 
"It was the one time I really cried. I also felt very let down because Advani ji had not come even for one day to campaign for me."
 
Terming his debut electoral loss a "misstep", Sinha revealed that it was a terrible time for him.
 
"Politics showed its ugly profile in many ways. After I lost that election, I was so sharply sidelined that I would be made to feel distinctly unwelcome at our party office on Ashoka Road. People would stop talking when I entered, or change the topic and make me uncomfortable.
 
 
"One day, a party official who is still with the BJP, came up and told me, 'Shatruji, please sit outside. We'll call you when we're ready to talk to you'," he remembered.
 
"That went straight to my heart and hurt me so badly, that for years, I never visited the office," he added.

MORE Bollywood ARTICLES

Not A Single False Note In Ranveer's Performance: Deepika

Not A Single False Note In Ranveer's Performance: Deepika
Actress Deepika Padukone says that her "Bajirao Mastani" co-star Ranveer Singh's performance in the film is his best work till date, and one without a single false note.

Not A Single False Note In Ranveer's Performance: Deepika

Sharon Stone To Sue Construction Company

Hollywood actress Sharon Stone is taking legal action against a construction company that she had hired for the renovation of her Beverly Hills home.

Sharon Stone To Sue Construction Company

Not Much Romance In 'Rock On 2': Arjun Rampal

One of the lead actors of "Rock On 2", Arjun Rampal says that there isn't much of romance in the film and that most of this will be with its music.

Not Much Romance In 'Rock On 2': Arjun Rampal

Unethical To Disrupt Film Shows: Paresh Rawal

Veteran actor Paresh Rawal says disrupting shows is “unethical” as it overlooks the hardwork that goes into producing a movie.

Unethical To Disrupt Film Shows: Paresh Rawal

Priyanka Chopra Becomes Asia's Third Most Followed Woman On Twitter

Priyanka Chopra Becomes Asia's Third Most Followed Woman On Twitter
"Thank you all so much #12MillionPCManiacs this is such a wonderful good luck present!! You all are my strength," Priyanka tweeted

Priyanka Chopra Becomes Asia's Third Most Followed Woman On Twitter

I Am Very Conservative In Real Life: Deepika Padukone

I Am Very Conservative In Real Life: Deepika Padukone
Actress Deepika Padukone, who depicts the role of Mastani in the forthcoming historical romance film "Bajirao Mastani", says she doesn't endorse the character personally as she is very conservative in real life.

I Am Very Conservative In Real Life: Deepika Padukone