Luv contesting as 'Bihar putra'; I’m not saying goodbye to politics: Shatrughan Sinha

Patna, Oct 19: With his son Luv Sinha taking the electoral plunge from Bankipur assembly seat in Patna, actor-politician Shatrughan Sinha Monday said it’s an encouraging trend that youths are entering politics, but made it clear that he himself is not retiring.

The Congress has fielded Luv from Bankipur seat, a BJP stronghold from where the saffron party has nominated three-time MLA Nitin Nabin. This seat falls under the Patna Sahib Lok Sabha constituency, currently held by Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad who had won it against Shatrughan Sinha in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Shatrughan, who represented the Parliamentary seat twice when he was in the BJP, had switched over to the Congress just before the Lok Sabha polls.

Shatrughan, popularly known as 'Bihari Babu’, said his son has jumped into the fray as a Congress choice and also because the youth of the constituency wanted a new face who carries out development work sincerely. The Bollywood actor of yesteryears, however, said that this doesn't mean that he himself is saying goodbye to politics.

"I am not tired and retired. I will continue in active politics," the 74-year-old told PTI over phone. Shatrughan, who has been named as a star campaigner of the party for Bihar polls along with former party president Rahul Gandhi among others, said he would join campaigning for his son later this week. Luv has filed his nomination papers from the seat which will go to polls in the second phase on November 3.

Presently, he is meeting people of his constituency. He is accompanied by his mother Poonam Sinha, who had unsuccessfully contested against now defence minister Rajnath Singh from Lucknow in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Shatrughan rejected suggestions that his son is a parachute candidate.

"He is fighting election as 'Bihari putra' (son of Bihar). He has worked in the constituency since 2009 when I first contested Lok Sabha election from Patna Sahib constituency," the actor-politician said. Facing the daunting task of taking on a three-time sitting MLA, Luv has said he has decided to fight the "uphill battle" on his political debut by challenging the BJP in its bastion in order to prove his mettle.

Luv also is into acting. He had played the lead role in the Hindi film Sadiyaan (2010). He also starred in JP Dutta's Paltan (2018). The 37-year-old has two siblings -- his twin brother Kush Sinha and younger sister actress Sonakshi Sinha.