If one had thrown a stone at any election rally in 2004 Lok Sabha polls, chances were that it would’ve hit a film star.
Truckloads of Bollywood stars joined political parties during elections season but questions were asked whether it's due to their strong political convictions, the raw taste of power or the lure of cash.
The media was awash with allegations that millions of rupees were splurged by the BJP and Congress on wooing stars to brighten their otherwise dour campaigning.
While most stars denied that they are up for grabs, some admitted they were approached with lucrative offers by various political parties to campaign for them.
Both the Congress and the BJP had numerous film stars in their kitty. Despite that BJP lost and Congress managed to form Govt in the Centre.
Looking back, it is difficult to say if Bollywood glitter added any sparkle to the fortunes of political parties. But, it did underline that today’s political leaders lack ideologies and charisma of their predecessors.
- Saurabh Azad
E-Paper
