Actor Prakash Raj yesterday expressed shock over Kannada superstar Kichcha Sudeep extending support to Chief Minister Basavaraj S Bommai ahead of next month's Karnataka state elections.
Mr Sudeep on Wednesday declared his support for the BJP leader and said he will campaign for the party, but not contest the May 10 assembly elections.
"I am shocked and hurt by Kichcha Sudeep's statement," news agency ANI quoted Mr Raj as saying.
The veteran actor, who had unsuccessfully contested the Lok Sabha elections as an Independent candidate from Bengaluru in 2019, earlier dismissed reports of Mr Sudeep joining the BJP.
"I strongly believe this is a Fake news spread by the desperate, loosing BJP in Karnataka. @KicchaSudeep is far more sensible Citizen to fall prey," he said before Mr Sudeep made his plans public at a press conference yesterday, with Mr Bommai by his side.
Mr Raj had been vocal on social and political issues and frequently attacked the Narendra Modi government.
Speaking to reporters yesterday, Mr Sudeep referred to Mr Bommai as his "godfather" and said he would have supported him irrespective of the party he was in.
"I will only campaign for the BJP, not contest the elections," he announced, asserting that he was not joining politics.
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