The CPI-M central leadership has shot down a proposal of the Kerala tourism department to have Amitabh Bachchan as its brand ambassador. Reason: The actor already promotes Gujarat, ruled by BJP’s Narendra Modi.
“The Left Front government in Kerala won’t have the same brand ambassador as
Gujarat,” CPM politburo member Sitaram Yechury said on Thursday.
On February 9, during a visit to Kerala, Bachchan had told a TV channel he’d gladly accept the offer. Two days later, Tourism Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan had written back to take the process further. But it had led to protests within the state unit.
The CPM is staunchly against Modi over the Gujarat riots. Also, it is fighting the erosion of its Muslim base in Kerala, which goes to polls next year.