Actor Upendra unveils auto rickshaw as his party symbol

Emphasising its pro-people image, Sandalwood actor Upendra’s Karnataka Pragnyavantha Janatha Paksha (KPJP) has unveiled the green and yellow auto rickshaw as its party symbol. The party was granted its symbol on Saturday by the Election Commission. The popular actor, who founded the party earlier this year, drove an auto rickshaw himself to the Press Club in Dharwad where he was holding a media conference."When founding the party, I was wearing khaki which depicts service-mindedness. The late Shankar Nag, veteran actor of the yesteryears, who used to nurse big dreams, too was fond of auto rickshaws. We have got this symbol for our party. Auto signifies running on its own. Our aim is that the government chosen by the people's support should run on its own without any problems," he was quoted as saying by Daijiworld. Since the time he launched the party in October, Upendra has consistently portrayed a ‘party of the people’ image for the KPJP. At the first press conference in Bengaluru’s Gandhi Bhavan on October 31, he seated journalists and photographers on the stage, while refusing to get up on the podium himself. During that meeting, he also repeatedly asserted that his party was for the people and will be based on transparency and honesty. “I have just created a platform for you. Those who are passionate about the cause can join me. It has always been my dream to make a change. The actor had also said that the party would focus on issues in society and not on personalities within the party. “Our work towards helping create a better society is important. Not the person who is working towards it. The bigger goal is what matters,” Upendra had said. With just six months to go before Karnataka goes to the polls, Upendra and members of his party are currently in discussions with volunteers across the state to arrive at the candidates in various constituencies. At the launch of the party, Upendra had announced that KPJP would contest in all 224 constituencies in the coming elections. The actor has also claimed confidence about doing well at the coming elections despite being a new party with a smaller fund base than established political outfits. “Big speeches, banners, posters and promises have been done to death and people are tired too. I want to directly indulge in dialogues with people without any of the usual shenanigans,” Upendra recently told The Times of India.