Actor Babu Mohan not to contest assembly polls

Babu Mohan was pained that his name did not feature in the BJP's first list of 52 candidates and feelers were sent to him that he may not be given a ticket this time.

Hyderabad: In yet another jolt to BJP in Telangana ahead of the Assembly elections, actor turned politician and former minister Babu Mohan on Saturday announced that he had decided to stay away from assembly elections.

“I will not be contesting assembly elections even if my name appears in the second list. I will not be taking part in the election campaign. I request BJP leadership not to trouble me,” he said.

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Babu Mohan was pained that his name did not feature in the BJP’s first list of 52 candidates and feelers were sent to him that he may not be given a ticket this time. He told media that he had decided to stay away from the assembly polls. “I don’t know what feedback the State leadership has given to the party leadership about me. I am a deserving candidate. I was elected thrice from Andol constituency. I am still popular among people,” he said.

Coming down heavily on union Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy and Karimnagar MP Bandi Sanjay, Babu Mohan alleged that the two leaders were ignoring him and not taking his calls. “If they don’t want to give me a ticket it’s okay. but why are they ignoring me? I joined BJP on your invitation. You cannot insult me,” he said.

Expressing anger over an ongoing social media campaign against him by a few BJP leaders, Babu Mohan said a few people were spreading lies that there was a competition between him and his son for the BJP ticket. ” There is no dispute with my son. The BJP leadership is free to give ticket to my son. Why are people trying to create a rift between father and son?” he asked.