Big B's name dragged in for publicity: Jaya Bachchan

Bhopal, Apr 1: Without naming Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati, Samajwadi Party MP and film actress Jaya Bachchan today said no one shied from using the name of her actor-husband Amitabh Bachchan for gaining publicity. Ms Bachchan, who arrived to campaign for her party for the Lok Sabha by-election from Betul constituency, told reporters here that her husband was being dragged into the Barabanki land allotment controversy with this intention. She was accompanied by SP General Secretary Amar Singh and actress-MP Jayaprada. ''Some people attempt to hog the limelight in media by heaping praises on my husband, while others criticise him with the same intention,'' she said.

On being pointed out that Amitabh had appeared in an advertisement as a brand ambassador of Uttar Pradesh and hence he had to provide an explaination on the matter, the SP leader said, ''I am also a journalist's daughter. An appropriate reply would be given on the charges levelled against my husband.'' The state capital is the hometown of Ms Bachchan. Her father late Tarun Kumar Bhaduri was recognised as a veteran journalist in Madhya Pradesh.

UNI