NCP felicitates Slumdog star Azharuddin Ismail

The bid to get celebrities to endorse political parties is becoming increasingly competitive, but the latest 'coup' by the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has taken even its ally, the Congress, by surprise, reported the Times of India.

Even while city Congress leaders were allegedly planning to woo the film Slumdog Millionaire's child-stars, Azharuddin Ismail and Rubina Ali, the NCP has already taken the initiative.

Some of the top NCP leaders, including Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Praful Patel and state deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal, are expected to be present at a function in Bandra felicitating Azharuddin and Ali on Friday.

The function is being organised by NCP president of the Bandra unit, Asif Bhamla, who also runs an NGO that has tied up with the DY Patil Institute for the education of the children. Bhamla said that his party is not violating the code of conduct, as he has no plans to rope the kids into any political campaign.

"The function is organised by an NGO and it has got nothing to do with politics. These children are not the only ones that we are planning to sponsor.''

He added: "The programme is being organised by an NGO and its for their education. I feel that children should be kept away from politics as they are too young to understand it.''

Ajinkya Patil of DY Patil Institute said, "The children's dreams have already come true with the popularity they have gained from Slumdog Millionarie. But they need to go further, so we have proposed to give them a scholarship.''

Congress Mumbai unit president, Kripa Shankar Singh, has been recommending that MHADA flats be gifted to both Ali and Azharuddin.