Karnataka - Mysore   

Bollywood stars add colour to campaigning

By Our Staff Correspondent

MYSORE, APRIL 21. Residents of some old areas in the city such as K.T. Street and Ashoka Road had a surprise in store on Wednesday. Not only the Congress candidate came to seek their votes, but also he had brought with him a glamour queen from tinsel town. The politician, Srikanta Datta Narasimharaja Wadiyar, had combined royalty with glamour by inviting the Bollywood actress, Namrata Shirodkar, to campaign for him. Voters did not have any difficulty in identifying the beauty from Bollywood for they remembered her role in "Chora Chitta Chora" with Ravichandran.

With the candidates seeking votes were the Ms. Gladrags India, Veena Bhat, and the comedian of yesteryear, Asrani, all of whom had been flown here by the All India Congress Committee (AICC) to assist the scion of the Wadiyar dynasty in campaigning.

Accompanying the Bollywood brigade were a number of models from Bangalore and other places, which added pep to the party's campaigning in the city. Clad in saris and sporting caps resembling the Congress flag, the models went around Halladkeri area seeking votes for the Congress candidate.

Besides Mr. Wadiyar, the Congress candidate for Chamaraja, Sandesh Nagraj, also took part in the campaigning. Himself a producer, Mr. Sandesh Nagaraj is likely to bring in artistes from the Kannada film industry for canvassing. Campaigning may reach a crescendo in the next few days, as some contestants who are also associated with the filmdom are expected to bring in more stars for campaigning.

While film producer, Dwarkeesh, is contesting from Hunsur, the former Minister, S. Ramesh, who is associated with film industry, is a candidate in Krishnaraja. Ms. Shirodkar, Mr. Asrani, Ms. Bhat, according to sources, have been deputed by the All India Congress Committee from a group of 12 artistes from Bollywood who have either joined the Congress or have expressed their support to it.

They have been sent to campaign in the Mysore Lok Sabha Constituency as part of the election strategy chalked out by All India Congress Committee.

Rules out differences

At a press conference, Ms. Shirodkar said that there were no fissures in Bollywood despite stars opting to join or support different parties in the elections.

Ms. Shirodkar said the film industry had remained as one unit and that an artiste was supported by each other. She said the artistes had joined political parties on the basis of principles that each one supported.

Defending her decision to join the Congress, Ms. Shirodkar said though she loved her work (films), she wanted to do something else also. The decision to support the Congress was based on the belief she had in the party's principles and ideologies. That was the reason for her to take up campaigning for the party candidates.

She said the Congress was promoting the welfare of the youth and women. When her attention was drawn to the number of women given the party ticket this time, she said, "Women are heard in the party and that is what matters. So far it has not been the case, but the number will increase.''

On her plans for the future, she said she would continue to be associated with the Congress and would take up whatever assignment was given to her by the party. When her reaction was sought to the allegations that Bollywood artistes were being paid to campaign for the parties, she said, "We do not know about others. But at least we (Mr. Asrani and she) are not being paid for campaigning."

Mr. Asrani said that the policies being pursued by the Chief Ministers of Gujarat and Rajasthan were not benefiting the States. He said the Congress should be voted for the good.

He said, "Do not think people will vote if we just campaign. They come to see us and if at all there is anything, film stars have entertainment value." Defending the Congress President, Sonia Gandhi, he said the issue of foreign origin should not be politicised. Mr. Asrani said if Sonia Gandhi had wanted, she could have gone back after the death of her husband, Rajiv Gandhi. However, she stayed back to continue the good work done by Rajiv Gandhi.

Mr. Wadiyar acknowledged that glamour might not really fetch him votes but it had at least infused some life into the otherwise insipid campaigning here.

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