Kavita Khanna backs Modi, but upset over Gurdaspur seat

Kavita Khanna, widow of veteran actor-turned-politician Vinod Khanna, on Saturday said she would continue to support Prime Minister Narendra Modi even after expressing her disappointment over being overlooked for the Gurdaspur parliamentary seat where the BJP has fielded Bollywood actor Sunny Deol.

In a press conference, she said she was "very upset" over the fielding of Deol as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate from Gurdaspur, which was represented by her late husband for four terms.

On Friday she had indicated that she could enter the poll fray from Gurdaspur as an Independent, saying there is "a lot of pressure" on her from the people of the constituency.

Having expressed her shock and displeasure over being let down by the BJP, Kavita Khanna, however, on Saturday said she would continue to support Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

She said this was the second time that she was let down by the party. The first time was when during the by-election to the Gurdaspur Lok Sabha constituency - which fell vacant after the death of her husband - she was asked to support BJP nominee Swaran Salaria, who lost the seat to Congress' Sunil Jakhar.

"There is no denying that I am extremely hurt and upset with the decision," she said in a statement.

"It is the second time that the party is letting me down. The first time, days after my husband passed away, I was told to support Swaran Salaria, a candidate who cost the party a huge loss in the by-election last time.

"This time as well I only got to know of the party's decision from the media which came as a rude shock," she added.

--IANS

rak-pk/mag/bg