An Assembly election in Meghalaya is likely to turn into a star war with political parties trying to rope in film stars-turned-politicians, film stars-cum-political activists and Bollywood favourites to boost their electoral prospects. If the parties have their way, election campaigns and rallies will be spiced up with fair doses of Bollywood faces and dialogues.Though the BJP cannot match the Congress in electoral politics in this tribal hills state, it can surely outdo the latter as far as star power is concerned. The BJP has planned to rope in actor-politicians Union Health Minister Shatrughan Sinha and Union Minister of State for Tourism Vinod Khanna.Both the filmstars have had massive fan following even in the N-E. State BJP president W. Kharshiing said the party is also trying to get Hema Malini to campaign for them. Matching star for star, the Congress has decided to bank on the charisma of actor-turned-MP Sunil Dutt. Unlike Sinha and Khanna, Dutt’s is a familiar face in Meghalaya for he has been active in the region as he campaigned for then Congress leader late Peter G. Marbaniang during the Laitumkhrah by-election. State Congress leaders are confident that if Priyanka Gandhi Vadra campaigns, she will eclipse the BJP’s campaign. Meghalaya got statehood during her grandmother late Indira Gandhi’s tenure. ‘‘People here have an emotional attachment with the Gandhi family,’’ said a Congress legislator.The NCP has not yet announced campaigning by any film star. Meghalaya being the home turf for party general secretary Purno A. Sangma, the NCP probably feels that there can’t be a star bigger than him.
