Old memories die hard, Kaka attended several Garhwali cultural programmes and Ram Leelas while contesting from New Delhi !

Old memories die hard

I don’t remember the exact date n month but it was the year 1992 when Bollywood’s first superstar Rajesh Khanna was contesting against another popular star Shatrughan Sinha from New Delhi parliamentary constituency. The BJP high command had brought Shatrughan Sinha in the fray against Rajesh Khanna aka Kaka, despite the former hesitating to fight this election as he adored n respected Kaka the most. Kaka was annoyed with Shatru despite the later seeking apologies. Since then Shatrughan Sinha and Rajesh Khanna were never in talking terms. The New Delhi parliamentary seat had fallen vacant after the BJP stalwart Lal Krishna Advani had retained his Gandhinagar seat leaving New Delhi despite his victory against Rajesh Khanna by a narrow margin of mere 1500 votes. The fight between two Bollywood stars therefore became quite interesting with Shatru’s wife Poonam Sinha, the former Miss India doing her best to organise the women voters of New Delhi compelling R. K. Dhawan, then Kaka’s chief manager n chief election agent pressurising Kaka to call his star wife Dimple n family to join him in the hectic campaigning to counter Poonam Sinha’s influence. Since the competition looked tough Congress was in no mood to take any chance, hence called Dimple Kapadia Khanna to be with her husband all along during campaigning. Though not in good terms with his estranged wife, Dimple then, Kaka finally proved successful to call Dimple and both daughters Twinkle and Rinki to Delhi to extensively campaign for him. Dimple’s campaigning bore fruits and Kaka finally won defeating his one time close friend Shatrughan Sinha with a handsome margin. Since there were good number of Uttarakhand votes in New Delhi constituencies apart from votes of other communities we had organised good number of Uttarakhand’s cultural events in various parts of Delhi. Kaka had special affection n soft corner for the people of Uttarakhand and happily attended these cultural programmes. Even the legendary singer of Uttarakhand Narendra Singh Negi n his team had organised one massively attended programme at Mafatlal Mills in Sabzi Mandi Delhi in which Kaka was the chief guest. Kaka also went in several Ram Leelas in Delhi and enjoyed them to the hilt, at Aliganj, Sewa Nagar, Sarojini Nagar and Panchquin etc. On the invitation of Satpal Maharaj Kaka had also attended the Manav Dharma Sammelan’s massive congregation at Ram Leela Ground alongwith Dimple, Twinkle, Reena n me and addressed the curious audience watching their first n original superstar of yesteryears interacting with them. The below above is of Prem Nagar, near Sewa Nagar with Kaka, posing with Garhwali stage artists and singers. I am seen in the Mike addressing the audience. The budding artists and singers were thrilled to see Kaka in their midst blessing them and obliging by getting a photograph clicked. In the picture along with Late Rajesh Khanna are former commissioner Delhi MCD late B. R. Tamta, Geeta Gusain Negi, Laxmi Rawat Patel,Sunita Sati and Sharmeela Dutt. On the Mike is Sunil Negi.