Leading Kannada film actor Sudeep Sanjeev, popularly known as Kichcha Sudeep, on Wednesday announced his support to Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai in poll-bound Karnataka, giving "star power" to the ruling BJP's campaign for the May 10 Assembly elections.
Bommai said Sudeep supporting him means the actor would campaign for the BJP.
Sudeep, who has a huge fan following in the state and is one of the highest paid actors of Kannada cinema, however, made it clear that he is not entering politics and neither is he contesting the polls. The actor indicated that he is not backing a party.
Stressing his affection and respect for the Chief Minister and recalling that he stood by him during difficult times and shared a very close bond with his family, the actor announced his support to Bommai.
"There were only a few people who stood by me during my difficult times and among them the main person and my loved one is Basavaraj Bommai 'mama'. It is a duty and gratitude that I have for this loveable person," the multi-lingual actor said.
When asked if he would campaign for the Chief Minister or the party he belonged to, Sudeep said he would only follow Bommai's instructions. "I am here only because Bommai wants me to support a few people. However, I cannot campaign for everybody because humanly I cannot and I won't." On whether he supported the BJP's ideology, Sudeep said as a citizen there are certain ideologies he did agree upon but those were his personal perspectives.
"I agree with the leadership. I totally respect Prime Minister Narendra Modi for certain decisions he has taken but that has got nothing to do with me sitting here today because this is me connecting with a person (Bommai)," the actor said.
To a question whether there was any pressure from the Income Tax or the Enforcement Directorate to campaign for the BJP, he said the I-T searches had happened in the past and they left after finding nothing.
"Why do you think I will come due to that? Do you think I am a person who will succumb to any threat or pressure? I have come here for my affection and love (for Bommai) and not pressure," the actor clarified.
Sudeep, best known for his performance in films such as 'Swathi Muthu', 'Kempe Gowda', 'Eega', and 'Pailwaan', hails from Shivamogga district and belongs to Valmiki Nayaka community, the largest tribes in the ST category, in the state.
The 49-year-old actor, 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". He said: "I will go by what he (Bommai) wants, his requirements. I am not entering politics." Bommai, who was sitting next to him at the press conference, said he had told Sudeep that even though he is not joining the BJP, his campaigning is "necessary".
When Sudeep says he is extending support to him, it means along he would campaign for the BJP along with him, Bommai pointed out."Sudeep doesn't belong to any party. He has come to support me, and the party I belong to," the Chief Minister said.
"Sudeep's support gives big strength to BJP's campaign," Bommai said.
Earlier speaking to reporters outside his residence before heading to the hotel, where he addressed the press conference with the Chief Minister, Ministers R Ashoka, K Sudhakar, and Muniratna, the actor said: "If you think I am in favour of a party, I have not done any such thing".
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