Stars to add sparkle to Assam polls

GUWAHATI - Assembly elections in Assam next year should have a fair sprinkling of stardust with several showbiz personalities expressing their interest in contesting the polls and political parties, particularly the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), also making an effort to woo them.

Veteran Assamese film star Nipon Goswami was the first to announce his interest in politics, particularly his dream to contest the assembly elections on the ruling Congress party ticket.

“I am interested in doing something for the people and the fact of the matter is that certain amount of power is required to fulfill such a dream,” Goswami told IANS.

“I always had a soft corner for the Congress party and so naturally Congress would be my first choice and if the leadership thinks I am suitable as a candidate I am ready for a plunge into politics.”

Goswami has acted in 50-odd Assamese films spanning a successful 30-year career as the lead male cast. He is seeking nomination from the Tezpur assembly constituency in Sonitpur district in northern Assam, his birthplace.

Like Goswami, veteran action hero Brojen Bora is also ready to dabble in politics.

“I am prepared and very confident of a political career and would be happy if given a ticket from either Sivasagar (birthplace) or Guwahati (currently settled in the city),” said Bora, who has joined the BJP as a member.

“I don’t think politics is bad. People could really do good work being in politics,” Bora said.

Youngsters too are in the reckoning - popular Assamese film hero Jatin Bora has got feelers from the BJP.

“The BJP has offered me a seat to contest the polls. I have not decided as yet, but yes I would say; I don’t dislike politics,” Bora said.

Popular singer Vidya Sagar too is hobnobbing with the BJP, although he is yet to formally announce his decision to join electoral politics.

There is also talk of Suman Haripriya, a young Assamese film director, being fielded as a BJP candidate from the Guwahati East assembly constituency.

Suman is the daughter of Bijoya Chakravarty, BJP MP in the Lok Sabha representing Guwahati and a former central minister.

“People with glamour always attract voters and there are instances in India’s political history of film personalities joining active politics,” a senior BJP leader said.

The Congress, however, doesn’t seem very interested in roping in film personalities to either contest or campaign.

“We don’t want the Hema Malinis to be campaigning for us, we have many beautiful Hema Malinis in our villages and towns. We are happy with the local beauties,” Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi told IANS in a jocular tone.

Elections in Assam are expected some time in March-April next year.

(Syed Zarir Hussain can be contacted at zarir.h@ians.in)