TV actor Shekhar Suman who has been pitted against BJPs Shatrughan Sinha in the Patna Saheb parliamentary seat said his decision to join the Congress and contest the elections was a very well thought out one. I was not prepared when I was offered a ticket in the last elections. This time,however,I am geared up to start a new innings in my life. I want to do it wholeheartedly. I made up my mind after meeting Soniaji, said Shekhar,who became a popular TV personality after hosting various comedy shows. I am not a hardcore politician. I know what not to do in this field,so I wont give anybody a chance to pull my leg. I want to change the image of cine stars who become Eid ka Chand after winning the elections, he said. Regarding the contest between two Biharis,Suman says,If he (Shatrughan Sinha) is a Bihari Babu,then I am also a khanti (original) Bihari. I am proud to be a Bihari. Suman said. The former Laughter Challenge host said that though he may change his image frequently and sing a pop song once in a while,his roots always remained in Bihar. I have always maintained that I am and will always be a Bihari no matter where I live. My parents are there in Patna. I can fluently speak Bhojpuri and connect with the local people, he said. Known for his witty one-liners and mimicry of politicians in his show Movers and Shakers,Suman said straightforwardness was his forte. I am a very straightforward person but not flamboyant. I believe in delivering. I do not carry the baggage of being a film star, he told in an apparent hint at his rival Sinha. When asked what would be the deciding factor for voters since both candidates from Patna Saheb were showbiz stars,Suman said he had age on his side. I think people need younger representatives. Change is required. They need a fresh approach and I have a certain edge on this count, said the actor. Regarding an unwritten rule in the film industry where actors do not contest against each other in the elections and if he had broken it,I did not break any rule. It was he (Sinha) who initiated it when he contested against Rajesh Khanna in 1989. In any case it is the battlefield where nobody is your brother or relative. he said. When asked if there was some motive behind Sinha replacing him in Laughter Challenge,he said it was a mere coincidence.
