When Kaka had filed the nomination papers agaist Shatrughan Sinha from New Delhi , after losing first election against BJP stalwart Lal Krishna Advani by a small margin of 1500 votes, Kaka started his first campaign from the Jaganath Temple, Hauj Khas, New Delhi where he wore a brand new pitch white with golden border Dhoti and Kurta and stood on a magnificent chariot specially arranged for him. Before the campaign he offered prayers with chanting of mantras by the priests of Jagannath Temple with blowing of Conch shells giving him blessings for the victory, the election he had won by a margin of around 29000 votes with Khanna of INC bagging 101,625, 52.51 votes and Shatru getting 83,369. 38 votes. This by election was held because Lal Krishna Advani had preferred retaining the Gandhi Nagar seat of Gujarat and giving up the New Delhi seat. This was a sort of a God sent opportunity for the iconic superstar Rajesh Khanna as had Advani retained New Delhi, Kaka would have lost a golden opportunity of his life entering parliament for the first and last time. After his tenure of five years he had lost from New Delhi in 1996 at the hands of the then union housing minister Dr. Jagmohan by a margin of 58000 votes shifting to Mumbai but also keeping a rented accommodation in Sarv Priya Vihar , South Delhi staying there whenever he used to visit Delhi on his personal trips. His only white coloured Gipsy used to be parked in the compound of his Sarvpriya Vihar residence donated to him during his election by Lalit Suri, hotelier. This white Gypsy was very lucky for Kaka as he had contested both the elections of New Delhi on this vehicle with Kaka, his star wife Dimple, Twinkle and Rinki standing on it campaigning extensively raising their hands towards cheering crowds enticing voters. Very few people know that since Kaka and Shatru were very good friends while in Bollywood with the latter having tremendous respect for the former, Shatrughan Sinha though interested to contest had refused to fight against Kaka from New Delhi. However, the BJP leadership finally succeeded to make Shatru agree to accept the BJP ticket against his close friend Khanna on the premise that everything is fair in love and war. Shatrughan Sinha has tremendous love and affection for Kaka and didn’t wanted to annoy him. However, Kaka became annoyed when he came to know that Shatru, his one time dearest friend is contesting against him. According to Shatrughan Sinha, Kaka was so annoyed and angry with him that he never forgave him and both of them were not in talking terms thereafter for a pretty long time. After losing the election at the hands of iconic first superstar of Bollywood, Shatrughan Sinha admitted that it was his wrong decision to contest against Kaka and I regret my decision which was more an emotional one. Kaka was worried that may be Shatrughan Sinha can give him a tough fight as he too was a big star. After the campaign started Shatrughan Sinha’s wife Poonam, the former beauty queen was very active in campaigning, hectically organising women on a massive scale that worried Kaka who was then having estranged relations with his wife Dimple staying separately. Kaka was alone and a word was floated by opposition BJP that if a star would could not keep his wife happy how can he nurse the constituency. The family wriggle started gaining ground. The then chief election in charge of Kaka R. K. Dhawan and others asked Kaka to bring Dimple and entire family together to join his campaign so that the electorates’ confidence could be regained and the increasing influence of Shatrughan Sinha’s wife Poonam could be countered or neutralised. This is, how Dimple Khanna, Twinkle and Rinki came to Delhi and extensively campaigned for their star father Rajesh Khanna finally leading him to victory by 29000 votes despite BJP doing its best to show Kaka dust. But failed. I being his press advisor had organised Kaka’s press conference at Lodhi Estate Bungalow at Dhawan’s bungalow in which tremendous media men came to interview Rajesh, Dimple, Twinkle and Rinki and cleared all doubts about husband wife wranglings etc.
