Ahmedabad, 19 July 2012

It was first published in a top Gujarati daily, that Bollywood actress Juhi Chawla would contest the Gujarat assembly election from Porbandar against Gujarat Congress President Arjun Modhwadia. The story was later duplicated in TV media. Then the same top daily came with another story that Juhi had registered her name in voters list at Porbandar. The national channels tried to verify and found the news baseless but a few enthusiasts in local TV media rushed to Arjun Modhwadia to get his reaction. Modhwadia too was carried away and showed “extra bravery” in his expressions on camera to announce that “not only Juhi, but Anandiben and Modi too are welcome to contest against me”.

All this rubbish, and now Juhi Chawla has issued a statement that she has no plan to be a candidate and no such suggestion or proposal has been made to her.

In a statement issued through Corporate and Public Relation wing of her husband’s company Mehta Group today morning, Juhi Chawla said, “With reference to news items appearing in some sections of the Media, I wish to clarify and confirm that I do not have any plans to be a candidate for elections to the Gujarat Legislative assembly from any constituency or any political party.”

“I would also like to confirm that no such suggestion or proposal has been made or considered by me,” she added.

It should be mentioned that similar kind of “kite flying” was seen before the assembly elections in 2007 in Gujarati vernacular press. A same top Gujarati newspaper had done couple of stories that Congress would field Raj Babbar against Narendra Modi in Maninagar constituency. However when the election schedule kicked off, Dinsha Patel filed nomination to contest against Modi, and not Raj Babbar.

Seeing the past record, it can be firmly said that more such “kite flying” will be seen in the newspapers in the pre-election season in future too.