Is the BJP trying to confuse voters by pitting a nakli mukhyamantri against an asli mukhyamantri? This is the question doing the rounds in political circles in Karnataka right now.

BJP candidate H N Chandrashekar is known only by his screen name of Mukhyamantri Chandru, ever since he acted as a chief minister in the Kannada film Mukyamantri many years ago.

Now, Congress party workers in Chamrajpet take pains to make sure they never ask voters to "vote for the mukyamantri" in case they vote for Chandru instead for Krishna!

Chandru was elected to the assembly in Karnataka for the first time in 1985 from Gauribidanur. He is now a member of the BJP national council and has been state party secretary in the past.

"Door-to-door is the only effective form of campaigning here as the entire area is full of narrow lanes," explains Chandru, as he walks along the little streets. His wife tours parts of the constituency independently. BJP party workers stride ahead, raising the usual slogan of Bolo Bharat Mata ki Jai.

The BJP is putting a lot of their firepower into Chamrajpet, to try and defeat Krishna. Former chief minister S Bangarappa, who recently switched from the Congress to the BJP, also visited Chamrajpet to talk to voters, as did a whole array of local film stars and even Vijayashanti from neighbouring Andhra Pradesh.

Chandru does not, of course, elicit quite the same response from women voters that the ageing but still handsome Nag does.

In fact, he says that being an actor just gets him the first response of recognition, that's all. Beyond that, people would only vote for him because they know that he is a serious politician who will work for his constituents.

"I have raped over 50 women on screen, in my years in cinema," he admits, with his usual infectious grin. "So I doubt that people would get swayed by my screen image!"

Photograph: B K Ramesh