BENGALURU: It’s official. This Lok Sabha election, actor Upendra’s Uttama Prajakeeya Party will be fielding their candidates from all 28 Lok Sabha constituencies in Karnataka. All these candidates have been picked from the general public. His party symbol is an auto-rickshaw.
Although, initially he had expressed his interest to contest from Bengaluru South, he has now decided not to contest at all. “If I contest, my focus will be on one constituency. But, I want to reach the larger audience, so I have decided not to contest. Instead, I will help my candidates by travelling across the state,’’ Upendra told The New Indian Express.
In 2017, actor-turned-politician Upendra had announced and later launched his political party Karnataka Prajnavantha Janatha Paksha. Five months after the launch, he was forced to quit even before the assembly elections. But simultaneously, he started the process to launch the Prajakeeya, which finally happened on his birthday in September 2018.
Upendra said they have been clear right from the beginning. “No well-known face will be on the list. All of them are ordinary citizens with no criminal records or any corruption charges against them. In a government, it is the babus who run the show; but over a period, we are made to believe that it the political leaders who run the show. Elected representatives are people’s workers who work for a salary. Prajakeeya party candidates will work as salaried people,” he said.
On the style of working, he said, the party candidates have to come to people regarding their weekly or fortnightly report. They should maintain transparency. “If they (political party netas) had done this on a regular basis, they would not have to face the wrath of the public . “This will happen if they come to people only once in five years,’’ he said.Prajakeeya candidates were told to work with a minimal expenditure. “Expenses like paying deposit, will be arranged. When asked if anyone from Sandalwood is joining him, he said “no”.