Singh do the dirty work!The Article:
If sources are to be believed, then superstar Amitabh Bachchan's name is doing the rounds in political circles.
Bachchan's friends in the Samajwadi Party (SP) have begun whispering his name as a potential candidate, with the support for his candidature allegedly coming from a gamut of political parties consisting of the SP, TDP (Telegu Desam Party), AIADMK and Asom Gana Parishad (AGP).
According to sources, the Samajwadi Party has even had a word with the Telugu Desam Party President N Chandrababu Naidu some time back. After the alleged talks, Naidu seems to be veering around to supporting the Big B. Naidu has been quoted as saying that the TDP has set a trend by supporting a non-politician as president. TDP sources also say that the party thinks Bachchan as the President of India will motivate youth.
All this talk may surprise even the megastar, who has said that he is not looking to give up acting.
SP reactions
TIMES NOW confronted several Samajwadi party leaders with this report and received mixed reactions.
Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav simply said, “Please don't put such nonsensical questions to me."
Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh was at first cryptic. “The Media can go ahead and say anything. It can make Amitabh Bachchan a PM or President. Big B is like a kite. Let see how far he can fly,” he said.
Later speaking to TIMES NOW, however, he said, “The party has not set up any proposal for anything. As of now we are busy over the ensuing assembly elections. We humbly request the Election Commissioner to fix a date. As long as the electoral college is not established, the new electoral college that will be established after the UP assembly poll cannot decide the fate of presidential candidate... Whether Big B will be presidential candidate is not for me individually to decide, the entire political spectrum has to be involved.”
Rajya Sabha member Shahid Siddiqui also said that the elections were the first priority, however “If there is a consensus on the issue, SP would support the name of Amitabh Bachchan for Presidentship.” He added that the party had not discussed or decided whom they were going to support. “He (Bachchan) is definitely a person who is respected not only in India but all over the world. He has a global Indian face, but that doesn't mean he could be a Presidential candidate - because we have not even given a thought to it,’ said Siddiqui.
Congress gets caustic
The Congress has reacted sharply. While party Spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi came down strongly on TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu and SP leader Amar Singh, Congress party’s UP chief Salman Khurshid was slightly more caustic.
“"Thankfully the likes of Chandrababu Naidu and Amar Singh do not decide who our President is going to be. Our country has a greater future than having stars take up Presidentship, no matter how eminent they may be. I am glad that this is the culture of our country,” said Singhvi.
“As far as the nomination for the President is concerned, let the SP first get over its PM aspirations. Right now they face the prospects of losing the government in UP,” remarked Khurshid.
The BJP meanwhile, has said that they will support the candidate who they think is right. “There is still some time left for the President’s election, and we will support the candidate who we believe is right. I do not think that we have come to a stage where we can think of such names,” said BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi.
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