Salman Khan clears air on contesting elections, campaigning

A few days ago, there was a news report that said Madhya Pradesh Congress had requested Bollywood megastar Salman Khan to help the party defeat the BJP in Indore in the Lok Sabha polls.

The news report led to speculations about the actor's political leanings and questions were asked if Salman Khan would accept the request, as actor was born in Indore's Palasia, and help the Congress boost its poll prospects.

The fact that the actor, who usually stays away from politics, had participated in a road show for the Congress' Indore mayoral candidate Pankaj Sanghavi in 2009 did lend some credibility to the speculations. The actor's participation in that campaign, however, did not pay off as Sanghavi was beaten by BJP leader Krishna Murari Moghe.

Scotching speculations, Salman took to Twitter to say that he has no intention to back any party or leader in the Lok Sabha polls. "Contrary to the rumours I am not contesting elections nor campaigning for any political party," the actor tweeted.

MP Congress spokesperson Pankaj Chaturvedi had said that Congress leaders had "already talked to Salman Khan to campaign for us in Indore."

Indore, Madhya Pradesh's largest city and commercial capital, has been in the iron grip of the BJP ever since current Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan defeated former chief minister and senior Congressman Prakash Chandra Sethi in 1989. It has now become clear that the Congress would have no outside support to end the BJP's reign in Indore.

Meanwhile, the Salman Khan had heeded to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's request to Bollywood celebrities to urge people to vote in the upcoming elections.

"We are a democracy and it is every Indian's right to vote. I urge every eligible Indian to exercise your right and participate in making the Government," the actor tweeted.

(With PTI inputs)