M A I N   N E W S

Hema Malini joins BJP

New Delhi, February 19
Film actress Hema Malini today formally joined the BJP and said her husband and actor Dharmendra would too come into the party fold to campaign for the Lok Sabha poll but would not contest.

Popularly known as the ‘dream girl’, 55-year-old Hema, who is a Rajya Sabha member, was inducted into the party by BJP President M. Venkaiah Naidu along with Chandra Vijay Singh, a Lok Tantrik Congress member of the dissolved Lok Sabha.

“I am joining the BJP as I feel very close to its ideology. I have great admiration for Atal Bihari Vajpayee,” the actress, who had first begun campaigning for BJP candidate Vinod Khanna in Gurdaspur in Punjab during the 1999 general election, said.

Asked if she was ready to fight the elections, she said: “No, I have not not decided. If the BJP asks me, then I will think over”.

On if her actor-husband Dharmendra would come into politics, Hema said “he too has a great liking for the BJP. He would be definitely campaigning during the poll but I do not not think he would contest...He is not used to it”.

To a question as to why it took her so long to formally get into the party’s fold, Hema said she had been busy shooting for films and was involved in other activities. “Now with the elections coming, I thought it was the right time to get in. I have also divided my time to include all I want”.

Naidu, who addressed the press along with party general secretaries Pramod Mahajan and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, said any nominated Rajya Sabha MP could become a member of a party within six months of her joining the House. She was nominated late last year.

“I have not come into politics in a big way. I want to see my country grow,” she said parrying questions on the Ram Temple issue.

To a query if her children were also interested in politics, the actress laughed and said “They are too young. They know nothing about politics”. PTI

Hema must quit RS: Karat
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 19
The All-India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA) has demanded film star Hema Malini’s resignation from the Rajya Sabha after she joined the BJP today.

AIDWA general secretary, Brinda Karat has said a nominated member of the Upper House in a specific category is not allowed affiliation to any party.

Ms Karat said the BJP had shown contempt for constitutional propriety by admitting Ms Malini in the party fold as she continued to be a nominated member of the Rajya Sabha.

Cong writes to Kalam 
Says BJP flouting rules on nominated MPs
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 19
The Congress is planning to write to President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam to draw his attention to the manner in which the BJP is bypassing conventions and violating provisions regarding nominated members of the Rajya Sabha.

Referring to reports about “Dream Girl” Hema Malini joining the BJP, Congress spokesperson Anand Sharma said it was highly objectionable that nominated members were being inducted into political parties.

The category of nominated membership is for persons known for their outstanding achievements in the fields of arts, sports, literature and academics and who are expected to be non-partisan. Since it is the President who nominates, he should ensure that the provisions are not misused.

As far as Hema Malini is concerned, he said, the BJP’s announcement today about her induction into the party was laughable as this is only the fourth time that she has “joined” the BJP. He said she had campaigned extensively for the BJP in the last several elections.

Mr Sharma also hit out at the BJP for unleashing a blatantly misleading campaign at the taxpayers’ expense. In its eagerness to gain political mileage, the ruling combine is distorting facts, negating past achievements and questioning both the memory and wisdom of the people.

The Congress is particularly angry over the BJP claim that it had achieved much more in the past five years as compared to the past 50 years. Stating that India has been “shining” since 1947, Mr Sharma maintained it was under successive Congress governments that India emerged as a nuclear and space power, became self-reliant in food production and witnessed unprecedented industrial growth.

He said the people of India would like to know whether the present dispensation has added an IIT, a Bokaro or a Trombay during its regime.

“The BJP through its campaign of belittling the progress made by the country under successive Congress governments is insulting all those great Indians who toiled over the years to make these achievements possible,” Mr Sharma added.