In BJP list of campaigners, a ‘missing’ star

State BJP president Ashwani Sharma says the actor is unwell these days. “Sunny Deol is not keeping good health. He had temperature. But he will come soon,” said Sharma.

Asked why is the Gurdaspur MP missing from the campaign in a state where BJP is now contesting as a senior partner in alliance with two other parties, Sharma blamed the restrictions imposed by the Election Commission in view of the ongoing third wave of Covid-19.

“He is a star and we fear that Covid-19 restrictions (on gatherings) would be violated if he comes for the campaign. We are keeping an eye on the election commission if some relaxations are granted in Covid-19 guidelines,” said Sharma.

The state BJP chief also hinted at the ongoing winter session of the Parliament to justify the Gurdaspur MP’s absence from the Punjab poll scene.

“Deol is needed in Parliament. People need the physical presence of their councilors or the MLAs in constituency. They know that Deol is needed in the Parliament so that he can help make laws for them,” added Sharma, who is from Pathankot, which falls under Gurdaspur parliamentary constituency.

Pathankot is considered a stronghold of the BJP and it was among the few regions of Punjab where farmers’ agitation against the now repealed central agri laws was not as strong as it was the other parts of the state.

Ever since he was elected to the Lok Sabha, Deol has visited his constituency only a few times. The last time he visited Gurdaspur was in September 2020. The Youth Congress activists in June 2021 had put up “missing” posters of Deol in Gurdaspur. “Gumshuda ki talash MP Sunny Deol (Search for missing MP Sunny Deol),” read the posters.

“Sunny Deol didn’t enter Gurdaspur when people were facing the Covid-19 pandemic. He is busy making money in Mumbai. He has nothing to do with the public of Gurdaspur,” the Youth Congress had then said.

The activism, however, hadn’t much of an effect on Deol, who had appointed his personal assistant to ensure “smooth flow of work” during his absence in the constituency.

In a video that he had uploaded on social media, the actor-politician had said that his opponents were “talking nonsense” about him. He said “all of us” work for the people and “all of us are here for the people”.

“I want to tell the people that based on the trust they have placed on me, I have been doing a lot of things and will continue doing so. I will get bigger projects in future. Your trust is my strength,” he had said.

In November 2021, Deol was seen holidaying with father Dharmendra in Himachal Pradesh. The hill state touches Deol’s constituency.

The 64-year-old had undergone a shoulder surgery in Mumbai and was recuperating at a farmhouse near Manali, his team had said. He had also tested positive for Covid-19 during his stay. A party leader, requesting not to be named, said, “Now it is better for the party if Deol doesn’t come to campaign. If he comes now, then people would ask why he remained missing when there were no elections. It would reflect poorly on party.”

Sharma, meanwhile, couldn’t recall exactly when Deol came to Gurdaspur last, but added that the MP had visited the state during Covid-19.

He, however, claimed, “Deol has wished to campaign during elections. Party will decide when he should be called”.
Apart from Deol, BJP has listed Prime Minister Narendra Modi, party national president JP Nadda, Union minister Amit Shah and Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari, Piyush Goyal, Smriti Irani, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Hardeep Singh Puri, Anurag Thakur, Meenakshi Lekhi and Som Parkash as star campaigners.

Others on the list include Sharma, party’s national vice-president Saudan Singh, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur and Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar, party MPs Dushyant Kumar Gautam, Manoj Tiwari, Hema Malini, Hans Raj Hans, and Vinod Chavda.