Actor Prakash Raj expresses ‘shock’ at kichcha Sudeep’s support to the BJP

Bengaluru: Veteran actor Prakash Raj on Wednesday said he was shocked at reports of Kannada superstar Kichcha Sudeep campaigning for the BJP in the upcoming assembly polls.

News agency ANI quoted Prakash Raj as saying, ‘I am shocked and hurt by Kichha Sudeep's statement’.

Prakash Raj, who has been highly critical of the BJP, initially dismissed the reports of Sudeep supporting the BJP calling it a ‘fake news’.

"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 reportedly said.

Raj had responded to the reports before Sudeep joined Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai for an interaction with the media yesterday.

Making it clear that he was not joining politics, Sudeep later said he was only campaigning for the BJP, not contesting the polls.

Kichcha Sudeep dropped a bombshell in south Indian film industry on Wednesday declaring his support to the BJP ahead of the Karnataka state elections.

Later, the 51-year-old actor told reporters outside his residence that he "won't contest elections and will only campaign for his friends in the upcoming polls."

The BJP is planning to secure another term in power by capitalising on the actor’s massive fan following.

The reports of the actor campaigning for the BJP follows speculations of him joining the Congress.

The speculation had to do with the images of the actor with Congress leader DK Shivakumar that went viral on social media.

The source of images was from KPCC Chief Shivakumar’s visit to the actor’s residence in February.