Monday, March 22, 2010

Decision to make Bachchan ambassador not yet taken, says govt

TPURAM: The state government on Monday said it has not yet taken a decision to make Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan the brand ambassador of state tourism.

The matter would be taken considering the controversy over the issue triggered by certain resistance from different quarters in the state as the actor was also the promoter of Gujarat and other states, Home and Tourism Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan told the Assembly while replying to a query by K Babu of Congress.

Babu wanted to know the stand of the government in making Bachchan tourism ambassador of the state.

Kerala government changed its position after CPI-M politburo member Sitaram Yechurys remark that LDF Government would not make a person its brand ambassador who was also a brand ambassador of Gujarat under Narendra Modi Government, Babu said.

Balakrishnan said the state showed interest in making Bachchan the brand ambassador after he (actor) expressed his wish in an interview to a Malayalam TV channel.

The government also wrote to Bachchan expressing its gratitude for his views on Kerala tourism and its readiness to make him the brand ambassador, he said.

It had not discussed any terms and conditions with Bachchan on the issue. Meanwhile a row over the issue erupted on the matter, the Minister added

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