After Sunny Deol and Hans Raj Hans, popular Punjabi singer Daler Mehndi has also joined the BJP, becoming the second celebrity to do so this week.
On Friday, Mehndi joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the presence of Hans Raj Hans, who is the BJP candidate from North West Delhi Lok Sabha seat, and Union minister Vijay Goel.
Advertisement
Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari and cricketer-turned-politician Gautam Gambhir were also present at the event.
Daler Singh, who goes by his stage name Daler Mehndi, had earlier joined the Congress in 2013, just before the Delhi assembly elections and also composed and sung a campaign song for the party.
Daler Mehndi’s daughter is married to one of Hans Raj Hans’ sons.His brother Mika Singh is another popular Punjabi singer.
Mehndi was earlier accused in an illegal immigration case in 2003. In March 2018, he was sentenced to two years in prison by a Patiala court in a human trafficking case. The singer and his brother, Shamsher, were charged for illegally sending people abroad as part of their dance troupes.
Daler was released on bail a few days after the arrest and had said he would appeal the conviction in a higher court.
While there are speculations that Sunny Deol will contest from Gurdaspur constituency in Punjab, it is unclear as to whether or from where Mehndi will contest.
The 51-year-old shot to fame in the 90s with energetic dance songs that became music chartbusters and still rule playlists of Punjabi weddings, house parties etc.
From Tunak Tunak Tun, Na Na Na Re and Bolo Ta Ra Ra, the popular singer is also credited for creating a music genre called “Rabbabi”, which is a combination of Thumri, Sufi and rock, and a musical instrument, “Swar Mandir”, which combines influences from the Rabab, Swarmandal and Tanpura.