Setting at rest speculation, Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt on Friday night said he will contest the Lok Sabha poll as a Samajwadi Party nominee.
He also said he has forgiven sister and Congress MP Priya Dutt."Priya has denied having said anything against me.
Even if she has said something against me, I forgive her as she is my kid sister," Sanjay, flanked by SP leader Amar Singh, told reporters at his suburban Bandra residence in Mumbai.
Asserting that he was no longer an accused under the anti-terror law TADA, Sanjay said he was only charged under the Arms Act and the media should keep this difference in mind while reporting about him.
Sanjay had been mum on his intentions of jumping into the electoral fray despite SP announcing him as its candidate from Lucknow. Asked last week about his reaction, he had said "Not now".Priya had also objected to Sanjay contesting elections on a SP ticket, saying the Dutts have a "Congress family".
Amar Singh on Thursday had said that the Bollywood actor would "definitely contest" from Lucknow Lok Sabha constituency but he would not be forced if he did not wish to fight the poll.Sanjay's statement comes after differences cropped up with his sister and Congress MP Priya Dutt who had disapproved of her brother's move to contest the poll on SP ticket.
Maintaining that there was no fight within the family over his entering the political arena, Sanjay said the Dutts have always supported the Gandhi family.Going a step further, Amar Singh said if Sonia Gandhi wants to give Sanjay the poll ticket, "we will step back and still support him.
"There is no legal hurdle in Sanjay's contesting the polls," Singh said."Even if there are some issues, they will be sorted out. The court has so far not made any observations," he said.Sanjay cited cricketer-turned politician Navjot Singh Sidhu's case, saying "if Sidhu, who faced murder charge, can contest, why can't I"?
Clarifying reports about Sanjay's wife Manyata being a candidate in case Sanjay was unable to contest, Singh said she was never a candidate.
