'Roses from actress': BJP's Swara Bhasker counter to Cong's Kichcha Sudeep jibe
BJP's Annamalai called Swara Bhasker 'an actress who is known to support anti-India forces' after Congress criticised Kichcha Sudeep's support to Bommai.
As Kannada actor Kichcha Sudeep on Wednesday extended his support to the BJP in Karnataka and said that he would campaign for the BJP and won't contest elections, the Congress mocked Karnataka chief minister Bommai and said as no one turns up to listen to Bommai and other BJP leaders, they now have film stars to draw crowd. Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai shared a photo and asked what about Rahul Gandhi accepting roses from Bollywood actor Swara Bhasker during Bharat Jodo Yatra. Read | Prakash Raj ‘shocked and hurt’ by Kichcha Sudeep's statement

"You Dear Leader was going around accepting roses from an actress who is known to support anti-India forces. Now you are rattled because nationalist voices in the entertainment industry are choosing the BJP!" Annamalai replied to Congress MP Randeep Singh Surjewala who on Kichcha Sudeep's support to Bommai commented: "People, not Film Stars, will decide fate of Karnataka". Read | ‘Have respect for PM’s decisions but…': Kichcha Sudeep on campaigning for BJP in Karnataka polls | Watch
Surjewala said a film star is free to choose whom to support, sometimes by IT-ED. "Bankruptcy of BJP in #Karnataka is clear," the Congress leader said.
In 2019, Kichcha Sudeep came on the radar of the income tax department along with Yash, Puneeth Rajkumar. Sudeep made it clear at that time only that the IT raid was because of his mistake.
The actor was asked about the IT raids and whether the decision to support Bommai came from any such pressure. "Why do you think I will come due to that? Do you think I am a person who will succumb to any threat or pressure? I have come here for my affection and love (for Bommai) and not pressure," Sudeep said.
Ahead of the elections on May 10, the BJP got the star power boost with Kichha Sudeep throwing his weight behind Bommai. Dismissing speculations of his joining the BJP and contesting the election, Sudeep said he will be supporting Bommai 'mama'. "I am here only because Bommai wants me to support a few people. However, I cannot campaign for everybody because humanly I cannot and I won't," the top Kannada actor said
ABOUT THE AUTHORPoulomi GhoshPoulomi Ghosh is a journalist with Hindustan Times, New Delhi.

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