Filmmaker Prakash Jha to script own poll destiny
MUMBAI: Claiming that after dealing with actors it was “time to deal with politicians”, filmmaker Prakash Jha on Wednesday said he had returned to politics because he felt the need to give pace to positive change in Bihar under Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
“Bihar’s condition has changed over the last few years and it is at a point of development from where it needs to jump forth with investments. I felt the need for political intervention to promote this environment of industry and entrepreneurship,” Jha told reporters in Patna.
Jha, contesting on JD(U) ticket from the Bettiah parliamentary seat in West Champaran district, though associated with Bollywood, would not call film actors to seek votes for him. “Though the glamour of Bollywood is associated with me, I will not invite any actor to campaign for me. I didn’t call them during the previous elections also. When it comes to actors, I am the biggest actor,” said Jha.
Criticising the BJP for cosying up with Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, which attacked people from Bihar, Jha said, “I have always protested the attacks. I talked to Raj Thackeray regarding this. Now the BJP is shaking hands with MNS.”
The film director who has given Bollywood hits like ‘Mrityudand’, ‘Gangajal’, ‘Apahran’, ‘Aarakshan’ and ‘Rajneeti’ as well as the recent ‘Satyagraha’ is contesting the Lok Sabha polls for the third time. Jha had unsuccessfully contested as an Independent in 2004 and on LJP ticket in 2009 from the same Bettiah seat. He is pitted against Sanjay Jaiswal of BJP and Raghunath Jha of RJD.
