On the face of it, the Bachchan issue is closed for Congress

Mumbai: The ruling Congress-NCP state government has swung into damage control mode over the controversy involving Amitabh Bachchan’s presence at the inauguration of the north-bound carriageway of the Bandra Worli sea link earlier this week. Deputy chief minister Chhagan Bhujbal, on Friday, downplayed the incident in the legislative council and said that there were no differences in the government over the issue.“The PWD minister (public undertakings) had invited Bachchan for the programme. The sea link, however, was inaugurated by the chief minister,” Bhujbal said.

The deputy CM was replying to a point of propriety raised by Shiv Sena’s Neelam Gorhe. She was ably supported by Kiran Pawaskar, also a Shiv Sainik, who said: “After the 26/11 terror attack, the then chief minister lost his post for taking along Bollywood director Ram Gopal Verma to survey the damage at Taj Hotel. We are worried that Chavan could meet with the same fate due to Bachchan.”