Deccan Chronicle

Cong netas want Kareena to contest polls

Leader claims Congress will wrest the Bhopal seat, known as a traditiona­l saffron bastion, if party fields Kareena Kapoor.

- RABINDRA NATH CHOUDHURY | DC

Demand among Congress workers to field Pataudi family daughter-in-law and Bollywood actor Kareena Kapoor in Bhopal Lok Sabha constituen­cy in forthcomin­g general elections, due in March-April this year, is growing.

Party activists led by Bhopal Municipal Corporatio­n councilor Yogendra Singh Chouhan met former MP Rameswar Nikhra, who has been appointed party in-charge of Madhya Pradesh for LS elections, on Monday to put forth their demand for nominating Kareena, wife of Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan Pataudi as party candidate for Bhopal LS seat.

“Bhopal is home of Pataudi family. Bhopalis take pride in identifyin­g their native place with Nawab Pataudi dynasty. Congress can wrest the Bhopal seat, known as a traditiona­l saffron bastion, from BJP if the party fields Kareena Kapoor in the constituen­cy in the ensuing parliament­ary elections”, Mr Chouhan said here on Monday.

The Congress workers have also given a representa­tion to the party high command in this regard.

Congress had fielded exIndia cricket captain Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi in Bhopal in the 1991 LS elections.

Late Mr Pataudi, who had secured 2,06,000 votes then, lost to BJP candidate Sushil Chandra Verma by over one lakh votes.

All total 36 candidates including late Mr Pataudi and human rights activist Swami Agnivesh were in the fray in the polls for the seat then.

Former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and former India cricket captain Kapil Dev, besides Bollywood actor Sharmila Tagore had campaigned for Mr Pataudi in the polls then.

Pataudi dynasty has its root in Bhopal.

 ??  ?? Kareena Kapoor
Kareena Kapoor

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