Cine stars draw big crowds

PRABHJOT SINGH

TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE

CHANDIGARH, FEB 11

Overcast sky and intermittent showers notwithstanding, stars from the tinsel world kept date with their respective political parties and candidates as they undertook a hurricane tour of various constituencies to "seek vote and support" for them.

If Govinda did it for the Congress, Hema Malini was out to campaign for the SAD-BJP alliance. While Preity Zinta and Kunal Goswami came out to lend support to their friend Arvind Khanna at Sangrur, Nagma, Divya Dutta and Mink turned up for a rebel Congress candidate at Abohar. Others were Poonam Dhillon and cine star-turned-politician Vinod Khanna. Interestingly, the inclement weather was a non-dampener as Bollywood stars proved that they were big crowd pullers. For example, when Govinda performed and campaigned at Ludhiana last night, the turnout was massive. Hema Malini struck an emotional chord with her audiences at Sahnewal, the second home town of her star husband Dharmendra, Doraha and old Ludhiana city, claiming herself to the Bahu of Punjab out to seek votes for the SAD-BJP alliance, which she claimed did a good job. "In five to 10 years from now, there will be no need for Punjabi youth to go abroad, especially to the USA and Canada, as Punjab, if it continues at the same pace as for the past five years, it would be equal if not better than them," she said.