Kannada cine star turns down LS poll offer from congress party

 Bengaluru: Kannada cine star and son of late thespian actor Dr Rajkumar, Dr Shivaraj Kumar on Sunday turned down the offer from president of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar who was offered Congress ticket to contest the Lok Sabha polls in Karnataka in 2024.

At the Ediga community function held in Bengaluru, Shivakumar while addressing the gathering stated that “I have inherited acting from my father (late Dr Rajkumar) and my role is confined to acting alone. There are people who do politics and let them do it. They are doing good work.”

Adding, he said, “I married Geeta daughter of late Chief Minister S. Bangarappa and never ever did Bangarappa invited to join politics now his brother-in-law Madhu Bangarappa who is currently the Minister for Primary and Secondary Education in Siddaramaiah cabinet.” Shivaraj Kumar said, Geeta is into politics. I let her into doing politics.

In his address earlier at the function, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar had asked Shivarajkumar not to lose a chance to contest ensuing Lok Sabha elections and that the ticket has come to doorsteps.

It may be recalled here that Geeta, wife of Shivaraj Kumar contested Shivamogga Lok Sabha poll in 2014 against Bharatiya Janata Party nominee and former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa. Then, Geeta was the Janata Dal Secular (JDS) nominee and was defeated by Yediyurappa in the election.

During Assembly elections in Karnataka this year, Geeta quit JDS to join the Congress party. Geeta and her husband Shivaraj Kumar campaigned for Madhu Bangarappa in Soraba Assembly seat in Shivamogga. Mandhu Bangarappa won the seat to become a Minister in the Congress led State Government.

Sources said though political parties tried their best to lure Dr Rajkumar to politics but Dr Rajkumar never showed interest in politics. In the 1978 Chikkamagaluru by-poll in Karnataka, Janata Party leaders tried to field Dr Rajkumar considering his huge popularity against former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi who was the Congress nominee then. But, Dr Rajkumar remained out of reach of Janata Party leaders.

However, Kannada film actors such as Ambareesh, his wife Sumalatha, B.C. Patil, C.P. Yogeeshwar, Shashikumar, Ramya, Jaggesh are prominent among others who have tasted success in politics in Karnataka.