Amidst media reports that the Congress was trying to rope in small screen star Shekhar Suman to pitch him against Shatrughan Sinha from the Patna Saheb seat, the 'Bihari babu' on Wednesday said he was not at all bothered about it.
"I will welcome Shekhar into the electoral arena if he is interested in joining active politics," Sinha, who has been named BJP's candidate for the Patna saheb seat, said.
"I have a good personal relation with Suman. He is a popular TV star. If he wants to fight against me I am prepared for the contest," he said.
The decision to join electoral politics and party on whose ticket one wants to contest has to be entirely of an individual, he said, but added, "I advise my tinsel town colleague to deeply ponder over why and from where one wants to launch his career."
Past experience has shown that many Bollywood artistes have been "used' by political parties wanting to cash in on their "star value" and later treating them shabbily, he said, adding "one must come into politics only after proper groundwork.
Asked how he visualised the political clash between him and Suman, both hailing from Patna and belonging to the 'kayastha' community, he said, "He is a TV artiste whereas I am a prominent name in the film world. The people will compare our standing," he said. Sinha, who was the Union Health minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government, however, said it would be wrong to see him only as a film personality.
"I have spent a long time in politics after joining the BJP when it was nowhere near power. I have toiled with the party like any other leader to bring it where it is today," he said.
Asked if he had spoken to Suman on the issue, he replied in the negative. He said his aim was to see BJP veteran L K Advani in prime ministerial chair and strengthen the hands of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in taking his home state forward on the path of development.
On 'love guru' Matuknath also entering the fray as an Independent from Patna Saheb, he burst into laughter and said, "People will have entertainment during the gruelling elections."
