Months after training its guns on Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani for his Mumbai for all comments,the Shiv Sena has invited him to its May 1 function at the BKC,and says he has agreed to attend. But two other Mumbai icons,actor Amitabh Bachchan and cricketer Sachin Tendulkar,have informed the Sena that they cannot. In January,the party had slammed Ambani for describing as unfortunate the government decision to make knowledge of Marathi mandatory for taxi permits. Now,a party leader in charge of the guest list said,That was a personal thing then and it has nothing to do with the May 1 event. Ambani has informed us he plans to attend,as of now. We hope he comes. The Sena was hoping to get Bachchan and Lata Mangeshkar on the same stage,but the actor has told the party he will be out of the state. Bachchan has informed us he will be attending a family function,while Tendulkar will not be in the city either, said the leader. Tendulkar,too,had been targeted by the Sena for his comments on Mumbai. On Bachchan,on the other hand,the Sena has always been soft,with party chief Bal Thackeray writing in his favour every time he has been mired in controversy. Actor Shah Rukh Khan,who offended the Sena with his statements in support of Pakistan cricketers at the IPL,has not been invited. The function is open to all. If he wants,he can come, said a party leader. Columnist Shobha De,historian Babasaheb Purandare,actor and BJP leader Hema Malini and the top brass of BJP will attend.
