CHENNAI: Actor Khushbu, the Congress party’s national spokesperson till Monday morning, joined the BJP within hours of quitting the party. She joined the BJP in the presence of its general secretary CT Ravi and state president L Murugan in New Delhi. Ravi presented her the party’s membership card.
She is expected to get a plum post in the party soon. Later, she also called on BJP national president JP Nadda. Former IRS officer Saravana Kumaran and YouTuber Madan Ravichandran
also joined the BJP on Monday in New Delhi.
Like any other political functionary who shifts loyalties to another party, Khushbu too alleged that she was being pushed and suppressed by elements at a higher level in the Congress. In her introductory remarks, she promised to work for the victory of the BJP in the upcoming elections in Tamil Nadu.
Joining the BJP, Khushbu said, “I am so happy that I have joined the BJP. I should have joined this party much earlier but I did it today. The nation has to move forward and we need somebody like our Honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modiji to take the country in the right direction. I am completely at the service of the BJP and I promise to do my best to fulfil the responsibilities that are given to me.”
Asked whether she had taken the decision to join the BJP already or it was a sudden decision, Khushbu said, "Yes. It was a decision taken already. But I had to be faithful to the party which I belonged to at that time. Being in the Congress, I could not speak in support of another party."
Asked who were the 'elements' which suppressed her in the Congress party as mentioned in her resignation letter, Khushbu said, "Those who were responsible for that would understand."
When a scribe recalled her criticism of the BJP in the past, Khushbu said, "Yes I did criticise them strongly. But in due course, I understood what is better for the country. Change (of mind) is a
constant thing. If a political party can't control a functionary within the party, how can that party protect the country? Till now, there is no corruption charge against any BJP leader."
She went on to say, "The basic rule of the opposition parties is to criticise the ruling party. That was what I was doing in Congress. But I have thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah on many occasions. I have also supported the BJP many times."
A few hours before joining the BJP, Khushbu dashed a letter to Congress president Sonia Gandhi informing her that she is quitting the Congress. In her letter, Khushbu charged that a few elements seated at a higher level within the party who have no connection with the ground reality were dictating terms and people like her who wanted to work for the party sincerely were being pushed and suppressed.
The actor recalled that she came into the Congress fold at a time when it was at its lowest, being defeated in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. "I did not walk into the party for any monetary gains, name, or fame."
The actor said she had decided to end her association with the Congress after a long thorough thought process over a period of time and said she was resigning from the primary membership of the party. She also thanked Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and everyone in the party personally.
Just after her removal as party spokesperson, TNCC president KS Alagiri said Khushbu's exit would not affect the Congress in any way since she had never shown any involvement in strengthening the party. "Similarly, the BJP will not benefit in any way except for feeding the media for a few days."
Alleging that Khushbu was joining the BJP due to pressure exerted by her husband C Sundar, Alagiri said, "Khushbu has been brainwashed to join the BJP."
He said just five days ago, when she visited New Delhi to meet Congress general secretary KC Venugopal, she told reporters that she was happy in the Congress and the BJP was spreading
canards in the social media about her. Khushbu had categorically denied that she would be joining the BJP. "She has to explain why she changed her mind within five days," he added.
Khushbu began her political career with the DMK in 2010 when M Karunanidhi was the party president. In 2014, she joined the Congress and was made the party’s national spokesperson.
Born into a Muslim family in Mumbai, Khushbu became a popular actor in southern India, particularly in Tamil Nadu. From the 1980s, in a short span, she had acted in around 200 movies in different languages and genres. Her popularity was so much that in 1990, one of her fans built a temple for her and a variety of idli was named after her (Khushbu idli).