Campaigning for Congress for its stand on Bhojpuri: Ravi Kissen

Lucknow, April 21 (IANS) Bhojpuri films superstar Ravi Kissen Tuesday said that he is campaigning for the Congress as the party has promised a lot of things for the Bhojpuri-speaking population in the state as well as the Bhojpuri film industry.

'Soniaji (Congress chief Sonia Gandhi) has promised to include Bhojpuri in the 8th Schedule (for regional languages) of the Constitution, besides developing a dedicated film city that will provide employment to those working in the Bhojpuri film industry,' Kissen said at a press conference at the party's state head quarters.

Kissen, who is campaigning for Congress candidates across the state for the past few days, also alleged that no party has worked for the development of the state for the past two decades.

'Be it the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Samajwadi Party (SP) or the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), that have been ruling Uttar Pradesh for the past 20 years, they have only pulled back the state, making it one of the poorest in the country. Only the Congress has worked for its progress and I request the people to vote for Congress for a better future of the state and the country,' he said.

Kissen also claimed that the party was eager to field him as its candidate in these elections.

'The party offered me a ticket from Bhadohi, Jaunpur or Phulpur but due to professional obligations, I have chosen not to contest. However, like my father, who is an avid party worker, I am always available to serve the party,' he said.

Kissen, along with Maharashtra's Minister of State for Home Naseem Khan, was in Lucknow to campaign for state Congress unit chief and Lucknow candidate Rita Bahuguna Joshi.