Bollywood stars add glamour to Bengal campaign

Kolkata, April 20 (IANS) Adding glamour to the Lok Sabha campaign, a host of Bollywood celebrities has descended on West Bengal to woo the electorate.

External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, in the fray from Jangipur in Murshidabad district, roped in veteran star Mithun Chakraborty to sway the voters in the remote rural constituency last weekend.

The news of Mithun's arrival created a sensation among the public, leading to a near-stampede at the venues.

Amidst the pandemonium, Mukherjee himself could not reach one of the meeting sites, unable to pass through the milling crowd.

'I have come here because I have lot of respect for Pranabda,' Mithun said, as the crowd seemed to go berserk at the sight of their hero.

'I want Pranabda to occupy a high post after the elections,' Mithun said, triggering spontaneous applause from the audience.

Bengal's own Mithun also rushed to Krishnanagar in Nadia district to canvas for fellow film actor and Trinamool Congress candidate Tapas Pal Sunday and again received an enthusiastic response.

Former glamour queen Zeenat Aman trudged to Purulia and proved a big crowd puller during a roadshow for Congress nominee Shantiram Mahato.

People scaled walls, crowded rooftops and windows for a glimpse of the actress, once the heartthrob of the youth for her sizzling performances in films like 'Qurbani', 'Satyam Shivam Sundaram', and 'Hare Rama Hare Krishna'.

Last week Trinamool Congress candidate from Kolkata North Sudip Bandopadhyay brought in Mumbai actors like Asrani and Prem Chopra.