EC decides to drop Sourav ad,Bikram Ghosh is new ambassador

The advertisement of Election Commission created controversy after the Trinamool Congress raised an objection to it citing Sourav’s inclination to the CPM.

Sourav then in a letter to the EC requested it to drop his promo. Akshay Routh today said that showing respect to Sourav’s emotions and sentiment,the EC has decided not to air the advertisement. Routh said the Election Commission had been happy earlier that Sourav had agreed to be its icon to develop interest among people to vote in the state Assembly elections. “Sourav is not only an icon of the Election Commission,but is also a national icon,” he said. The CEO officials said the state CEO and Election Commission are unanimous that they have found no proof of political involvement of Sourav in the CD provided by a political party.

However,the EC decided to drop the promo after the request was received from Sourav,they said. “We have decided to withdraw Sourav ad only to give respect to his emotions. We can use him for a different purpose,” Routh said.

Asked about Sourav’s replacement,Routh said percussionist Bikram Ghosh has been chosen as brand ambassador for the EC. The EC has also decided to use the services of India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and former president A P J Abdul Kalam who were used in EC advertisements during the recent Jharkhand and Bihar elections,he said.