Saturday Aug 30 2008, Bangalore

Power is ultimate: Jaggesh

Actor-turned-politician Jaggesh has been struck in many controversies of late.Jaggesh, who won the Turuvukere constituency in the Assembly elections, then decided to ditch the Congress and joined the BJP, claiming that he was doing this for the sake of development.Here we have Jaggesh, explaining his stand as well as his plans to help out his fellowmen in Kannada filmdom.

Excerpts from an interview:

Q.What made you join BJP after winning the elections?

A.Power is ultimate.Without power I cannot dare to transfer even a Gram Panchayat Secretary.No one minds you if you don't have any power.If I had continued in Congress this would have been my last term and it would be the end of my political career.

Q.Was that the only reason?

A.I had planned to quit the Congress even before the elections.The screening committee meeting (which decides the candidates for the elections) was held before the elections.There were seniors sitting on the dais.And there Chief Ministers from other states who were deciding on the candidates.

Some of them started abusing me for wrong reasons.No one came to my help at that time.Even my guru Ambarish did not speak a word in my favour.I could not tolerate that and once I bounced back, everybody was silent.That's why I decided to quit the party.Even during the inaugural session of the State Assembly I had a similar experience.Not even a single MLA from my party spoke to me or even returned my greetings except my mentor D.K.Shivakumar.I was approached only to pose for photos.
This incident made firm my decision to quit the party as soon as possible.

Q.Is it true that you have got a huge amount before joining BJP?

A.Not at all.I swear that I didn't even ask for a single paisa before joining the party.That's why I am getting huge respect in the party.The Chief Minister himself called and promised me that he would be doing all that is needed for the welfare of my constituency.

Q.And what are those?

A.Well, I have done in just three months what the Congress party could not do in the last six decades in the Turuvukere constituency.The work on a 100-bed hospital, sanitary facilities in all villages, 78 community halls and a cold-storage facility for crops has started in the last three months.Even if I do not win back the seat in the bye-elections, I will die happy because I am contented that I have done something for the people in so short a span of time.

Q.Any plans to help Kannada cinedom as an MLA?

A.I had requested our Chief Minister Yediyoorappa to reinforce the 100% tax-free scheme to all films as the industry is in crisis.I made him understand that if the scheme is introduced, job opportunities in the cinedom will be abundant.The CM obliged and granted my request.I even have plans to ask the CM to allot land to technicians who are still not settled.I have many others plans for the film industry which I will reveal in due course.