Telugu film star and Jana Sena Party founder Pawan Kalyan today ruled out joining the BJP and asserted that his outfit was for the "Telugu people".
"A few months after Narendra Modi became Prime Minister, I attended his swearing-in ceremony, BJP national president came to Hyderabad and we met. The BJP president told me that regional parties have no future and hence wanted me to join his party. I told him clearly that Jana Sena was born for the Telugu people. It has a nationalist approach though it's a regional party," Kalyan recalled but in an apparent slip of tongue referred to Amit Shah as Satish Shah.
"I like the BJP but there is no commonality between it and Jana Sena on some issues," he pointed out.
He asserted that Jana Sena would only carry the people's 'jhanda' (flag) and agenda and nothing else.
Kalyan, who floated Jana Sena ahead of the elections in 2014, extended full support to the TDP-BJP combine and addressed rallies along with Modi.
Kalyan was specially invited for Modi's swearing-in ceremony as the former was instrumental in the combine's victory in AP.
"I met Modiji only at the swearing-in and never after that," Kalyan said.
The Power Star displayed varied emotions during his one hour-long address, often cracking jokes on himself. "I am not passionate about films but I will continue to act. I don't have money, so will have to act. Unless you people buy tickets and watch my movies, I don't get money. You people didn't watch my last film Sardar well and I suffered (financially)," Kalyan quipped.
As his follower and Jana Sena activist Vinod Kumar, belonging to Tirupati, was stabbed to death allegedly by the fans of another Telugu star a couple of days ago, Kalyan raised the issue and appealed to his fans not to take films seriously.
"We (heroes) are all very cordial and friendly. We have no rivalry. See films as a source of entertainment and forget. I too don't take films seriously and what I am serious about is the real life and the problems faced therein," Kalyan said.
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