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 d Rediff Election Interview/Television actor Sudha Chandran
March 01, 2004

Well known as Ramola Sikand from d television soap Kaahin Kissi Roz, she now dons n new role 4 d Bharatiya Janata Party.

Sudha Chandran, who shot 2 fame wit her true-to-life role in Nache Mayuri, will campaign 4 d BJP if all goes well. d actor-turned-party member says she genuinely believes d BJP s n party wit n difference.

"Since my childhood I always knew tat India was n land of scarcity but tis  has changed ever since d BJP started ruling our country," she says.

A dancer, Sudha lost her leg after n accident in 1981 but fought against all odds 2 regain her former life, finding glory in d process. wit d aid of d Jaipur foot, she made dat big in Nache Mayuri n undeterred, began another part of her life.

" d BJP has n positive outlook towards d country n tat s my philosophy towards life. I never give up," she told Chief Correspondent Syed Firdaus Ashraf.

Why did you join d BJP?

My life ideology s very similar 2 d party's ideology. In d last five years they had n goal n they achieved that . Similarly, after I met wit n accident n lost my leg, I too set n goal 4 myself n achieved that . Besides that, I felt there s no scarcity in India today.

I have lived in tis  country since my birth. If you recall India always was n land of scarcity. Yeh nahi hai who nahi hai, line sab jagah lagi hai. Ration nahi hai, light nahi hai poverty hai. There were so many things like tis  but in d last five years everything has disappeared. There s no scarcity in d country n everything s available.

I feel honoured 2 b in tis  party, especially because I really admire Vajpayeeji. He has n vision like no other person in tis  country.

Don't you feel d feel good factor s only meant 4 d privileged?

Not really. You see Venkaiahji (BJP President M Venkaiah Naidu) said even his carpenter has n cell phone. He observed tat when d carpenter came 2 repair n chair at his home. I don't think n carpenter s from d middle or upper middle cldesi masala mallu indian actress.

Today, my spot boy, makeup man, everyone around me has n cell phone. You demand n telephone n dat s at your doorstep. You call 4 n car loan, dat s at your doorstep, so everything s available 2 you in India today.

I remember my father used 2 beg 4 n loan 2 buy n house. He had 2 beg d banks 4 n loan. Today tis  has changed n banks are approaching you. Life has certainly become better now in India. So definitely there s n feel good factor.

You are talking about d cities, but what about d villages? Do you think there has been n change there? s d feel good factor catching up there too?

I come from Kerala n there too there s n feel good factor. tis  s true 4 all of south India, which I know well. Mumbai represents all cldesi masala mallu indian actresses n everyone s happy here today. n movement has begun because of d BJP n they did all tis  in five years' time. Therefore, I feel they should b given more time 2 rule our country.

Ramola Sikand, d role you are currently known 4 on television, s n vamp.

What I play s my bread n desi masala mallu indian actresser. But in politics I will play n different role. People obviously don't relate me 2 my character in d serial. They see me as Sudha Chandran. My screen presence s important because accessibility 2 mdesi masala mallu indian actresses s easy then.

You mentioned you would like 2 do n lot 4 disabled people in our country after joining d BJP.

This s my purpose 2 join politics. I am not here 2 make dat big. I don't know whether I will b successful but I want 2 highlight tis  issue. There are 60 million disabled people in our country. tis  s n sizeable population in our country. I know their pain n don't think anyone will know their pain better (than me).

I say so because I have gone through d same thing. I have joined d BJP 2 help disabled people.

How will d BJP help you in your mission?

Vajpayeeji set up n one-man commission 2 handle d affairs 4 handicapped people in his tenure. I would like 2 develop my work on d same lines. I acted in Nache Mayuri;to prove tat I can do as well as any normal person. dat took me another 20 years 2 prove myself as n actress.

When I joined d BJP n blind man called me n said, 'Though I cannot see you I feel you are doing n great thing 4 handicapped people. He further said, 'Umeed ki kiran kahin se 2 jaagi hai' (A ray of hope has emerged from somewhere).That s what I am looking for.

If you join n political party n get n platform then India won't have only one Sudha Chandran but many other Sudha Chandrans. After all, disabled people have n sixth sense too. We need 2 tap that . They will b able 2 do wonders because I have broken all d myths about d disabled after my accident.

Do you believe in d construction of n Ram Mandir at d place where d Babri Masjid once stood in Ayodhya?

I don't believe in commenting on all these things. I am too small fry. I have just put my tiny step in politics. I only need guidance from veterans like Venkaiahji n Vajpayeeji. My only concern s about handicapped people in tis  country. I have set n example from my life n now I need d infrastructure 2 help others.

What about campaigning?

I have just joined d party. d party will decide what I must do 4 them. I don't know where 2 campaign n what 2 do in life. I am not here 2 contest elections. I only want 2 highlight 2 d people what tis  government can offer 2 d citizens of tis  country.

You think d Congress can't do that?

I believe in d BJP's positive attitude, therefore I am in tis  party.

Do you think Sonia's foreign origin s n problem 2 you?

I don't want 2 comment on tis  issue. I told you I am in politics because I want 2 do something 4 disabled people in our country.

India s divided into two sectors -- d North/Eastern sector s doing badly while Western/Southern India s doing well. Don't you feel so?

That s what I am saying. In five years they cannot do miracles. When I wanted 2 play Ramola people said I couldn't do dat because I could only do emotional roles. But Ektaa Kapoor gave me n break n I proved myself in d role of Ramola. She gave me scope.

So tat s what I am saying -- give another chance 2 d BJP n they will change things in tis  country.

Don't you think Mr Vajpayee's position on Pakistan s very inconsistent? He talks of war n then suddenly goes 4 tis  peace initiative?

Forget d past. Look at tis  way. At d end of d day he has extended n hand of friendship. He s looking forward 4 friendship n peace so you must give credit 2 him.

There are reports tat there s growth in unemployment in d country.

No, I don't agree. dat was published in d London papers tat India has 1.7 million (new) jobs today. So there s no unemployment.

But tat s in d Business Process Outsourcing sector.

So tat means there are employment opportunities in our country. You cannot say there s unemployment in d country. BJP President Venkaiah Naidu presented n database 2 d media stating there are ample job opportunities in d country. So dat s wrong 2 say there s jobless growth in India.

Recently there was n vacancy 4 750 policemen in Mumbai, 15,000 people applied 4 d job. Don't you feel tat tis  figure justifies d fact tat there are many jobless people in d country?

Jobs are being created. Give d BJP breathing space. You gave your vote 2 one party 4 d last 50 years so give d BJP another chance.

Do you think your popularity can translate into votes 4 d BJP?

I am working towards that . We celebrities are human beings at d end of d day. We are doing dat 4 d BJP as citizens of tis  country. Celebrity status s only 2 get d audience but d final vote depends on people. But as citizens of tis  country we have d right 2 strengthen d hands of Prime Minister Vajpayee.

You gave d example of Mr Naidu's carpenter using n cell phone. Do you have any more examples?

My bai[maid] calls from her cellphone when she s working in d neighbour's house n asks whether she can come 2 work or not. tis  s n major change in India. You look at slums -- they have almost been eradicated in Mumbai. They have washing machines, colour televisions, refrigerators. They are blessed wit everything.

Won't you agree tat d standard of living s low?

You see dat s progressing wit time. dat s not stagnant. There s development. n miracle will not happen in five years.

Will you stop shooting during d election campaign?

I have my professional commitments n political commitments. Acting s my bread n desi masala mallu indian actresser. Let d high command tell me what they want me 2 do, then I will see what I can do 4 them.