Actor-politicians Dutt, Khanna my role models: Tiwari

Newly elected BJP MP and Bhojpuri actor-singer Manoj Tiwari considers actor-politicians Sunil Dutt, Shatrughan Sinha and Vinod Khanna as his role models in politics.
"Sunil Dutt, Shatrughan Sinha and Vinod Khanna are respected in politics and it is a challenge for me to emulate their example. I am a 'reel life hero' and want to be a real life hero as well," Tiwari said at a felicitation programme here last night.
He said in north India, it is a perception that film personalities are non-performers in politics. "But these (Sunil Dutt, Shatrughan Sinha) film actors have proved critics wrong and have done well in politics as well," he added.

Tiwari said his priority would be the welfare of Bhojpuri language and Hindi film industry. His efforts to get Bhojpuri language included in the Eight Schedule of the constitution have fructified and the matter would be resolved in a year's time.
"Even prime minister Narendra Modi has agreed to my proposal," he added.
"I will highlight issues pertaining to the Indian film industry in the Lok Sabha and will strive to implement decisions taken," Tiwari said.

The actor-singer said he never contemplated on contesting election and that he only wanted to contribute in ushering good governance.
He also said that now his focus was on working in his constituency and would only do two films a year.

"If a leader is honest, then there are many good people (in politics), who execute policies," he added.
Hitting out at former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, Tiwari said the North East Lok Sabha constituency of Delhi, from where he won the election, is facing power crisis due to free power sops by the Kejriwal government.
"Currently, there is no government in Delhi, power companies are resorting to load shedding as they are not getting their payments from the government," he said.