Dharmendra: The 'He-Man' MP who won Bikaner, faced 'Missing' posters, and left politics forever
Dharmendra’s political stint in Bikaner remains a lesser-known part of his life. From his 2004 win to the ‘missing’ posters that later surfaced, this chapter offers a factual look at his brief connection with Rajasthan.
Dharmendra, known as Bollywood's 'He-Man,' is no more. He breathed his last at the age of 89 on November 24. Dharmendra, who won the hearts of millions through his films, hails from Punjab, but few people know that he also has a unique connection to Rajasthan.
Dharmendra began his political career from Bikaner, Rajasthan. He served as a Bharatiya Janata Party MP from the Bikaner constituency. During this time, he defeated the Congress candidate by a landslide. However, after this, the late actor distanced himself from politics and never contested elections again.
Dharmendra became MP in 2004
Dharmendra entered politics in 2004 from the Bikaner constituency in Rajasthan. Contesting on a BJP ticket, Dharmendra defeated Congress candidate Rameshwar Lal Dudi. The contest was a close one. His two sons, Sunny Deol and Bobby Deol, also campaigned on his behalf in Bikaner. As a result, Dharmendra secured a landslide victory in the first election, defeating Rameshwar by 57,000 votes.
Even after becoming an MP, Dharmendra's political journey wasn't easy. Just a year after winning the election, posters of Dharmendra's 'Missing' appeared in Bikaner. This was due to Dharmendra's distance from his constituency. Reportedly, the late actor didn't visit Bikaner for a year after winning the election, leading to angry people putting up posters of him all over the city.
When Dharmendra restored Sursagar
Just a few days after this incident, Dharmendra visited Bikaner and stayed in the Circuit House without security, listening to people's problems. Dharmendra also played a significant role in restoring Bikaner's famous Sursagar. He spoke to then-Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje about restoring Sursagar, and when the budget fell short, he approached the central government. However, Vasundhara Raje received all the credit for restoring Sursagar, and public resentment toward Dharmendra remained.
Dharmendra's exit from politics
Politics did not appeal to Dharmendra, and after serving as an MP for five years, he retired from politics. In 2009, he did not contest the elections and returned to Mumbai forever. Dharmendra's wife, Hema Malini, is an MP from Mathura, Uttar Pradesh. His son, Sunny Deol, also served as an MP from Gurdaspur, Punjab.
After becoming an MP from Bikaner, Dharmendra never again entered the political arena. Explaining his reasons, the late actor had said that it was not the right place for him.
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