New Delhi: Rajesh Khanna, the first superstar of Bollywood, where he waved his success in the Hindi film industry. At the same time, everyone’s shine had faded in front of him in politics. It is said that in front of Rajesh Khanna’s popularity, veteran leader LK Advani also weakened. Rajesh Khanna gave that contest to LK Advani in the electoral fray, after which Advani left Delhi and went to Gujarat. But do you know that Rajesh Khanna once wanted to join politics.
Actually former Prime Minister of India Rajiv Gandhi was a good friend of Rajesh Khanna. He used to offer Rajesh Khanna to join politics many times but Kaka used to turn him down. Let us know what Rajesh Khanna used to say to Rajiv Gandhi.
Rajesh Khanna had a conversation with a media platform called Lehran Retro. During this, Rajesh Khanna had told, ‘After Indira Gandhi, when I became friends with Rajiv Gandhi, after which I started campaigning for the Congress in every election. During this, Rajiv ji had said many times that you should contest elections. So I used to say that no, we are from another community. Our community is different. This is not our job.
Rajesh Khanna had further told that one day again he said that you should contest from New Delhi. This time I could not help seeing Rajiv ji’s smile. I fought and became a member of parliament for five years from New Delhi. Advani ji went to Gandhinagar and I contested and won from New Delhi.
Rajesh Khanna had told that for the second time also he was asked to contest the Lok Sabha elections but he refused saying that I cannot do it. He had told the party high command that he would be happy if he gets a place in the Rajya Sabha.
Let us tell you that Rajesh Khanna contested for the Congress in the year 1991 against LK Advani. At the same time, Advani had contested elections from Gandhinagar in Gujarat apart from New Delhi at that time. There was a very tough contest between the two for the New Delhi Lok Sabha seat and Rajesh Khanna, a newcomer in politics, lost to Advani by just a few votes. The BJP leader won both New Delhi and Gandhinagar seats.
Advani resigned from his post in the year 1992 and moved to Gandhinagar in Gujarat. After his departure, by-elections were held again for the New Delhi seat where BJP fielded Shatrughan Sinha against Rajesh Khanna. This time Rajesh Khanna defeated Shatrughan Sinha by a huge margin. Rajesh Khanna was an MP from 1992- 1996.
.