From Madhuri, Salman, Sanjay, BJP wooing Bollywood before 2019 LS polls looks ‘entertaining’

It seems the BJP wants to win the 2019 Lok Sabha polls by wooing Bollywood and ignoring the real issues of commoners.

New Delhi, June 9: There is no doubt that nobody in the country is as powerful, influential and popular as a Bollywood actor or a cricketer. It is not just millions of fans who carve to have a selfie with their favourite Bollywood or cricket stars, even politicians make a beeline to be seen with the celebrities. Sometimes it is the other way round too, when celebrities wait in anticipation to meet politicians.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which boasts of several Bollywood and television stars in its roll call, has always made it a point to give screen idols a special place in the saffron party.

Now, when the BJP is gearing up for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections--likely to take place in April/May next year--it is once again wooing Bollywood big time. As a part of "Sampark for Samarthan" or "contact for support" campaign launched recently by the BJP ahead of the big 2019 General Elections, a slew of top saffron party leaders are busy meeting top Bollywood stars.

After BJP president Amit Shah recently met Bollywood diva Madhuri Dixit in Mumbai, on Saturday, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath met Bollywood superstar and Dixit's colleague Sanjay Dutt in Lucknow.

On Friday, Union minister Nitin Gadkari met superstar Salman Khan and his father and scriptwriter Salim Khan in Mumbai. Gadkari had met noted actor Nana Patekar too in Mumbai.

During their meetings with Bollywood actors, the BJP leaders mostly talked about the Narendra Modi government's achievements in the last four years.

Mumbai: BJP President Amit Shah meets Bollywood actor Madhuri Dixit and her husband Dr. Sriram Madhav Nene as part of 'Sampark for Samarthan' campaign. Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis also present. pic.twitter.com/pZaX1TM7vz

— ANI (@ANI) June 6, 2018

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath met actor Sanjay Dutt as a part of BJP's 'Sampark for Samarthan' initiative. pic.twitter.com/r6vKXE4EdJ

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) June 9, 2018

Mumbai: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari meets Salim Khan as part of 'Sampark for Samarthan' initiative, Salman Khan also present. pic.twitter.com/u3UhB2HHUi

— ANI (@ANI) June 8, 2018

The "Sampark se Samarthan" (contact for support) campaign was launched to mark the four years of the Modi government last month. As many as 4,000 functionaries of the party will contact one lakh people, who are recognised names in their respective fields, to inform them about the government's work in the last four years.

It is pretty interesting to see how BJP leaders are trying their best to woo Bollywood with the saffron party's latest campaign, however, at the same time remaining silent on issues of ban on films, role of the Censor Board and other subjects pertinent to the existence of the film industry.

As photo ops, the leaders meeting the glamorous stars, some of whom have a checkered history because of cases of crimes against them, look pretty entertaining.

However, such meetings of BJP leaders and Bollywood actors are actually 'hollow' when the country is eagerly waiting for the government to reduce prices of fuels and other essential items, give jobs to youths and reduce crimes against women.

It seems the BJP wants to win the 2019 Lok Sabha polls by wooing Bollywood and ignoring the real issues of commoners.