Sunny Deol reminded voters here of the patriotic character he played in ‘Gadar' and referred to his “dhai kilo ka haath” from another movie as the BJP candidate Monday filed his nomination papers for the Gurdaspur Lok Sabha seat.
At a rally attended by Union ministers VK Singh, Jitendra Singh and minister Vijay Sampla, the Bollywood actor made a brief four-minute speech in which he called himself a “patriot” who does not know much about politics. “Mere Gurdaspur walo, Sat Sri Akal,” he addressed the crowd in Punjabi, asking them how they were faring in the scorching heat.
“Eh dhai kilo da hathh je kise te penda hai, tan oh uthda nahin, utth jaanda hai,” he said, recalling what his character had mouthed in the 1993 movie ‘Damini’—anybody who gets hit by his two-and-a-half-kilo fist is dead.
Deol said he gets this strength from the people.
मैं यहां पर आप लोगों के बुलावे पर आया हूं, आप लोगों का आशीर्वाद लेकर आपकी सेवा करने का अवसर चाहता हूं। #Elecciones2019 pic.twitter.com/bb0aVl2bYl
— Sunny Deol (@iamsunnydeol) April 29, 2019
At the meeting, held before the filing of the papers, a supporter presented him with a hand pump—a reminder of the 'Gadar' scene in which Deol uproots a similar pump from the ground.
Before ending his speech, Deol said, “Hindustan Zindabad, Zindabad hai, Zindabad rahega”—again a piece of dialogue from `Gadar'.
Deol, who is a Jat Sikh, wore a yellow turban. He was accompanied by his actor-brother Bobby Deol when he filed his papers, and their father, veteran actor Dharmendra tweeted his support.
Kavita Khanna, who had openly expressed disappointment with the party for not fielding her from the seat once held by her late husband Vinod Khanna, was at the rally to express support.
Another ticket-aspirant Swaran Salaria was also present.
Thanking the people of Gurdaspur, Deol said: “I am here because you invited me. My father told me that you stay in the heart of each person in Punjab—son, go there and they will shower you with love. I want to tell you that I love you a lot,” he said.
He acknowledged that he is a novice in politics.
“Look, I do not know much about politics but I am a patriot,” he said. “I have come here to connect with you because I want our Punjab and our country to scale new heights,” he said.
“All of you join me and we will fight together, and win this battle,” he said.
Deol said he sought the people's support so that Modi returns as prime minister.
“If you make me victorious then Modi ji will win and you will also win,” he said. “I am saying from my heart that whatever you need, I will fulfil that. I belong to you and will never go anywhere else.”
One hero whom I always wanted to meet ! Watched him on the big screen growing up📺 #punjabdasher 🦁 💪🏼👊🏽 @iamsunnydeol 🙏#childhoodmemories pic.twitter.com/SuIV9zxN9X
— yuvraj singh (@YUVSTRONG12) April 23, 2019
The ruling Congress in Punjab had earlier targeted him, saying he will "disappear" once the elections are over.
Punjab BJP chief Shwait Malik, Haryana finance minister and party's election in-charge for Punjab Abhimanyu, former Punjab BJP chief Kamal Sharma and Akali Dal leaders Nirmal Singh Kahlon and Gurbachan Singh Babehali also attended the meeting.
Deol is pitted against sitting MP and Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar, Aam Aadmi Party's Peter Masih and People's Democratic Alliance's Lal Chand in Gurdaspur.
Jakhar won the seat in a 2017 byelection, necessitated by the death of Vinod Khanna in April that year.
The actor had represented the seat four-times, in 1998, 1999, 2004 and 2014.
What struck me about @iamsunnydeol is his humility and deep passion for a better India.
— Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 28, 2019
Happy to have met him today. We are all rooting for his victory in Gurdaspur!
We both agree- हिन्दुस्तान जिंदाबाद था, है, और रहेगा! pic.twitter.com/o4tcvITy2e
Before filing his papers in Gurdaspur, Deol offered prayers at the Golden Temple and the Durgiana Temple in Amritsar.
Monday was the last day for filing nominations for polling that will be held on May 19, the last phase of voting in the Lok Sabha elections.
Earlier Dharmendra asked the people of Gurdaspur to back his son, saying his victory will be that of the people of “my Punjab”.