'Congressman' Sekhar Suman backs Narendra Modi as PM

Patna, May 28: Actor-politician Sekhar Suman, who had contested last parliamentary polls on Congress ticket, said it was like a 'travel on the bypass road' and supported Narendra Modi for the prime minister's post.

"Sometimes even while going on the main road you need to take a bypass road to come back on the highway ... My journey with Congress in the last general election was like travel on a bypass road," Suman told newsmen here on Tuesday night.

He was unsuccessful in contesting on Congress ticket against his Bollywood senior and BJP leader Shatrughan Sinha from Patna Saheb constituency in the 2009 elections.

Suman said "I always look for excuses to come to Bihar to work for the people and when Congress offered me ticket to fight in last elections I accepted it with this intent."

However, Suman said he has not yet thought of fighting the 2014 elections. "I am basically an actor and not a politician."

Supporting Modi for the PM's post, Suman said "He has done wonderful work in Gujarat by giving good governance... He certainly deserves a chance to do the same for the country."

Criticising the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre, Suman said "people had given it the opportunity to run the country, it had brought in people who indulged in corruption and scams. So it should give up its place to somebody with positive energy (Modi)."

To a question on Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's opposition to Modi, Suman, who hails from Patna, said this could be because the JD(U) leader is himself a probable for the PM's post.

He praised Kumar for the large scale development in Bihar due to the improvement in law and order situation.

"Nobody had imagined that Bihar will develop like it is doing now under Nitish Kumar's leadership. He has set an example of good governance," Suman said.