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New Delhi: Dharmendra, the iconic Bollywood actor, passed away at his residence in Mumbai on Monday. He was 89. He would have turned 90 on December 8. His last rites will be performed at the Pawan Hans crematorium.
Dharmendra leaves behind a six-decade legacy that transformed Indian cinema. While films defined his public image, he also forayed into politics for a brief while. The actor hailed from Sahnewal town near Ludhiana in Punjab.
It was in 2004 that he joined the BJP during the party's “India Shining” campaign. Senior BJP leaders, including LK Advani, egged him on to contest from Bikaner, Rajasthan. He romped home to victory defeating his nearest rival -- Congress candidate Rameshwar Lal Dudi -- by a margin of 60,000 votes. He became a Member of Parliament in the 14th Lok Sabha. Dharmendra had refused to contest against Balram Jakhar from Churu in Rajasthan.
But, in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections, he declined from contesting.
While his popularity reached its zenith during his campaign, Dharmendra also drew controversy, after he said that he should be “elected dictator perpetuo to teach basic etiquette that democracy requires”.
His tenure in Parliament was marked by minimal engagement. Records point to his scarce attendance in the House, as he prioritised films and personal commitments. The actor attended only a few sessions.
Reports said the people of Bikaner had serious grievances against Dharmendra, saying that the MP was not accessible and hardly visited the constituency. Even though he faced accusations of being an "absentee" MP, his supporters said that he relentlessly worked for Bikaner behind the scenes, without much fanfare.
Later, the actor voiced regret about foraying into politics at all. He once said, “Kaam main karta tha, credit koi aur le jaata tha (I used to work and someone else would take credit). Perhaps that place was not for me.” In an interview, his son Sunny Deol said that his father “did not like politics”. However, Dharmendra campaigned for Sunny Deol, who contested the 2019 Gurdaspur seat on a BJP ticket.
During campaigning for his son, he announced, “I have come here not to deliver political speeches as I am not a politician. I am a patriot." He kept a distance from politics, but used to air his opinion on various issues. Dharmendra supported the cause of farmers during their protest in 2021.
