Former Congress spokesperson Khushbu Sundar joins BJP

Hours after quitting Congress, popular South Indian actress Khushbu Sundar on Monday joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his leadership.

Khushbu, one of the popular actors who ruled the South Indian film industry in the 1990s, joined the BJP in the presence of chief of the party’s Tamil Nadu unit, L Murugan, and General Secretary, C T Ravi.

Also read — Khushbu Sundar resigns from Congress

In the morning, Khushbu had sent her resignation letter to Congress President Sonia Gandhi following which she was removed as spokesperson of the party. In the letter, Khushbu complained that she was being “pushed and suppressed” by “few elements” who have no connectivity with the ground reality or public recognition.

After joining the BJP, the party that she vehemently opposed and criticised till a few days ago, Khushbu said she will towards the party’s victory in the Tamil Nadu assembly elections due in the first half of 2021.

“Over a period of time I have come to an understanding that if the nation has to move forward, we need somebody like our Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji to take the country in the right direction and its glory,” she told the press conference.

Khushbu was one of the vociferous critics of BJP and Modi when she was in the Congress. Even a week ago, Khushbu had criticised the BJP during a protest the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) organised demanding justice for the 19-year-old girl who was allegedly gang-raped and murdered in Hathras in Uttar Pradesh.

On Monday, Khushbu also promised to “do my best to fulfil the responsibilities” given to her in the BJP. In her resignation letter, Khushbu said she decided to end the association with the Congress after a long and thorough thought process over a period of time.

“Few elements seated at higher level within the party, people who have no connectivity with the ground reality or public recognition are dictating terms and people like me who wanted to work for the party sincerely, are being pushed and suppressed,” she said in the letter.

Khushbu had last week scotched speculation that she was joining the BJP, saying he cannot be forced to respond to “rumours” every time they crop up.
It is understood that the actor was upset with the Congress leadership over her demand for a “respectable position” within the party not being met. If she joins the BJP, the party will get another popular face in Tamil Nadu and her popularity can also be utilised in the Bihar elections.

Khushbu Sundar began her political career with the DMK in 2010 but quit the party to join the Congress in 2014. In 2016, her desire to contest the assembly elections from Mylapore constituency was shot down by the Congress High Command despite her candidature being backed by the then TNCC chief E V K S Elangovan.