Regret joining Cong, BJP my last destination: Kishan

Bhojpuri film star Ravi Kishan, the BJP candidate from Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur parliamentary constituency, has said that contesting the 2014 general election on a Congress ticket was a mistake and that the saffron party is his last destination.

In an interview to PTI, Kishan said actor-turned-politicians like N T Rama Rao and Vinod Khanna inspire him and he wants to project himself as a serious politician just like them.

"I want to become a serious politician like N T Rama Rao and Vinod Khanna who were from the film industry but joined politics and worked with utmost seriousness," Kishan said.

"If I was not serious about politics, I would not have left behind my successful career to become a politician," added the actor who joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in February 2017.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Aditynatah have given me their blessings because they understand my seriousness," he said further.

On joining the Congress ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, the actor said, "It was a mistake. When I lost the election, no one in the party high command got in touch with me. I was dejected."

The actor had contested from his home constituency of Jaunpur in Uttar Pradesh on a Congress ticket but secured only 42,759 votes or 4.25 per cent of the total votes.

Kishan admitted that it was Modi's passion which convinced him to join the BJP.

"In 2014, I heard Modi ji speak about toilets. For the first time, I saw a prime minister with such an outlook. I was impressed. When Yogi ji asked me to contest polls, I was ready to serve the people of Gorakhpur," he said.

Reacting to the BJP making nationalism a poll plank, Kishan said: "Nationalism is a major issue. If the country is safe, my children will be safe and so will be the future generations. We want a safe and strong nation so that no enemy country can stare us down."

The actor turned politician belittled the Samajwadi Party-Bahujan Samaj Party-Rashtriya Lok Dal alliance in the state claiming that the parties had got together only for their selfish gains.

"In Gorakhpur, the alliance will lose its deposit. They will lose miserably as the alliance is only for selfish gains and selfish people have no future," he said.

"Everybody wants the nation to progress and harmony between all communities. This has happened under the leadership of Modi ji and it will go on," he added.

"The work done by Modi ji and Yogi ji is quite visible in every village of Gorakhpur. The nation's money is being used for the welfare of its people. The youth is especially excited about me fighting the election," he said further.

On the opposition's allegation that he was an outsider in Gorakhpur, a bastion of Adityanath, Kishan said: "I am attached to the soil of Gorakhpur. I have even bought a home here."

"Once the elections are over, I will setup a studio here so that I can shoot for my films and work for the welfare of the people at the same time," he added.