Actor and BJP MP Shatrughan Sinha at the news meet in Patna on Saturday. Picture by Deepak Kumar

Patna, April 23: Actor-cum-politician Shatrughan Sinha today showed the temperament he was known for while playing the angry hero in Bollywood potboilers in 1970s.

This time, his frayed temper was on display against his partymen. Reason: The BJP ignored its Patna Saheb MP while commemorating the valour of Veer Kuer Singh.

“See the treatment they have given to me. I do not figure in any of the posters and pamphlets they have plastered across the city on the occasion. They did not even invite me to the function despite me being in the city for the past two days,” Shotgun fumed.

Justifying his leader’s fury, a supporter of Sinha said: “After all he represents the Patna Sahib seat in the Lok Sabha. How can the party ignore the local MP also known as Bihari baabu at its function to celebrate the victory of Veer Kuer Singh.”

Shatrughan went on to say: “The image of Bihar has suffered.” When asked to elaborate, the MP said: “My statement does not have any political connotation. I intend to say that Bihar has suffered in the cultural arena. Its cultural im-age has received a beating. It will take time to recover.”

One of his detractors in the party interpreted it differently: “Shotgun’s own image has suffered. His outbursts prove that he was more anxious about his own image rather than the image of the party or the state.”

Shotgun said: “The BJP leaders deliberately ignored me because of their insecurity. They sensed that being popular among the masses I will hijack the show and they will feel dwarfed. It is parochialism on their part.”

Ironically, senior party leader Rajnath Singh addressed a press conference at Hotel Maurya where Sinha is staying. Shatrughan was missing at the news conference. The veteran leader tried to sound politically correct when asked about Shotgun’s absence at the function as well as the news conference. “I am not even aware that he (Shatrughan) is in the city. He is a senior party leader. He did not attend the function because he might be busy in some other work. He always thinks for the good of the party.”

Sinha is going to host the Bhojpuri version of Kaun Ba-nega Crorepati on a Bhojpuri channel. Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan have hosted similar shows on television. Asked about the challenge he will face, he said, “They were good but I am the best. I will not copy their style. Mine will be a different show altogether.”

About the big personalities he would like to call on hot seat, Singh said, “I would love to invite Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad on the hot seat. I will also call Salman, Shahrukh and my daughter Sonakshi on the show.”

Commenting on the popularity of the Bhojpuri language, Sinha said, “Bhojpuri is the most popular regional language.”