'Waterlogging Due To Songs?' RJD's Star Candidate Trashes Vulgarity Charge

Shatrughan Kumar Yadav aka Khesari Lal Yadav, the popular Bhojpuri actor-singer set to make a poll debut in the Bihar election, has countered his rivals' political attacks over the vulgar content in his songs. In an exclusive interview with NDTV, Yadav said that while some of his songs were a "mistake", they did not cause waterlogging or ruin the education system and hospital infrastructure.

Thirty-nine-year-old Yadav, who is contesting from the Chhapra seat as a Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) candidate, said he had no plans to join politics. "I had no plans to contest elections. Politics was not a part of my life ever. Maybe God wants this," he said.

Asked about his campaign, Yadav said he was facing some difficulty because of his popularity. "I am not able to go door-to-door and take the people's blessings. There is so much craze. Traffic jams are taking place and people are facing difficulties. I don't want that, so I have not been able to go everywhere. But I want to tell the people, don't think I have forgotten you. I am fighting for Chhapra. I am ready to protest anywhere to demand its progress, even outside the Prime Minister's residence." 

Asked about his political rivals sharing clips of his music videos to target him, Yadav replied, "As a musician, I don't feel bad at all. There is nothing wrong in music. I did that for the entertainment of people. I did not understand much. But that is music, and this is development. Chhapra is not facing waterlogging due to my vulgar songs. Is the education system broken due to my vulgar songs? Is the condition of hospitals dismal because of my vulgar songs? This is a different subject, and my songs are a different subject."

Asked if he regrets those songs, Yadav replied, "When we are young, we make many mistakes, even while behaving with our parents. It was a mistake, but these issues are different."

Yadav has said that he won't return to contest polls in Chhapra if he wins this election and fails to fulfill his promises.

Asked about Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, he said he has no personal hostility towards them and opposes them ideologically. "If Modi uncle wished, so many factories came up in Gujarat, didn't he spot Bihar? It was Nitish uncle's job to identify the problem in Bihar," he said.

Yadav is up against BJP's Chhoti Kumari and Jan Suraaj Party's Jai Prakash Singh in the upcoming polls. Chhapra votes in the first phase on November 6.