Hans Raj Hans quits the Akali Dal to go the Congress as election of Bhagwant Mann as an MP of the Aam Aadmi Party triggers rush among Punjabi entertainers to join politics
News East East
NEW DELHI: The success of Punjabi comedian Bhagwant Mann as an MP of the Aam Aadmi Party seems to have triggered a rat race among singers, film artiste and comedians to join politics before the state assembly elections in Feb 2017.
After roping in singer Balkar Sidhu, the Congress has now managed to snatch prominent Punjabi singer Hans Raj Hans from the Akali Dal.
Hans, who contested the 2009 parliamentary elections from his hometown of Jalandhar in Punjab on the Akali Dal ticket, joined the Congress on Friday in the presence of Capt Amarinder Singh who will be the Punjab chief minister if the Congress wins this time.
Giving the reason why he was quitting the ruling Akali Dal, Hans said the Akali Dal has been using him only to bring crowds to their rallies.
Though he never quit the Akali Dal till now, Hans has been absent from state politics. In fact, after his defeat in the 2009 parliament elections, he had briefly shifted to Mumbai. He would often say that he was misfit for politics.
But the singer brought back into active politics by Akali chief Sukhbir Badal in 2012 by appointing him as the party vice-president.
“What can I say? Sukhbirji hugged me and reminded me of the 3.85 lakh people who had voted for me,” Hans had said of his decision to re-enter politics.
But his second honeymoon too was short-lived as Hans was hardly seen in Akali politics.
What prommpted him to again enter politics third time? Only time will tell. But the increasing rat race among Punjabi singers, comedians and actors to join to politics before the state elections next year could be the main reason.
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Most prominent Punjabi actor and comedian Gurpreet Ghuggi has just joined the Aam Aadmi Party, which apart from Bhagwant Mann, also has Jassi Jasraj in its ranks.
Hans Raja Hans is related to prominent singer Daler Mehndi as his son is married to Daler’s daughter. Hans is also the one of the best exponents of sufi music in Punjab. In fact, there were rumours a couple of years ago of his embracing Islam. But Hans later denied such reports.
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