Kerala actor denies talk of political career

Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 15 (IANS) Veteran Kerala actor Innocent Sunday denied speculations that he would join politics and contest forthcoming assembly polls.

Innocent expressed surprise over media reports that he would be a Left Democratic Front (LDF) supported independent candidate from the Iranjalakuda assembly constituency.

"I too have heard about it. Let me make it clear to you that my field is acting and not politics. The news reports are baseless," Innocent told IANS.

Kerala is likely to go to the polls in May.

The actor also denied that Left leaders had approached him to contest the polls.

"Nobody has approached me and even if they approach me, my answer would be a firm no.

"In the last assembly elections in May 2001, I was approached by the Congress-led United Democratic Front to contest, but I made my intentions clear to them," said Innocent, president of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists.

Innocent began his film career in the early 1980s as a film producer, and later switched to acting, appearing in close to 400 Malayalam movies.

Meanwhile, speculation is rife that another actor, Cochin Haneefa, might enter the electoral arena. He reportedly was contacted by top LDF leaders to contest against Industries Minister V.K. Ebrahim Kunju from Mattanchery in Kochi.

Haneefa, however, said he was yet to decide.