‘Star-struck’ Cong hunts for Bollywood actor for Indore

Bhopal: Congress’ hunt for a Boll-ywood star to wrest Indore, considered a saffron bastion, from the BJP took another turn when an unannounced meeting took place between Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath with Hindi actor Govinda on Friday.

The meet triggered speculations that the ruling party was mulling fielding him in Indore, which has remained with BJP since 1989, in the forthcoming parliamentary elections.

The “sudden development” comes close on the heels of superstar Salman Khan making his intention clear recently that he was not keen on either contesting polls or campaigning for any party.

The Dabangg actor’s declaration came in the wake of reports that Congress was exploring the possibility of fielding him in Indore,t he financial capital of MP, in the ensuing LS elections to wrest the seat from the BJP.

Govinda who paired with character actor Kader Khan in the 1990s to deliver a slew of hits landed here unannounced from Mumbai and proceeded straight to the chief minister’s official bungalow for a meeting. He, however, refused to reveal what had transpired.  “I just dropped in the chief minister’s place to congratulate him for assuming office. The meeting was purely apolitical”, he told reporters after the meeting here.

Congress sources, however, said Congress was planning to field Govinda in Indore to give BJP a run for its money in the upcoming LS polls.

“Our strategy is to unleash Bollywood power to break in the saffron bastion in the polls,” a Congress spokesman here told this newspaper.

Govinda had humbled BJP stalwart and Uttar Pradesh governor Ram Naik in Mumbai North in the 2004 LS polls.  However, Bollywood actor Urmila Matondkar who joined Congress a couple of days ago was nominated for the seat in the upcoming polls.

The BJP is yet to declare its candidate for Indore, currently represented by eight-time MP and Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan.

BJP circles were rife with speculations that she may be denied ticket in the ensuing parliamentary elections for crossing 72 years of age.