EC wants Bachchan polio ad off-air

POLL PARALYSIS: The EC wants to ban the ad due to Bachchan's proximity with SP.

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New Delhi: From watches to perfumes to cars to political parties, Amitabh Bachchan endorses them all.

However, his endorsement for a public service cause has rubbed up powers that be the wrong way.

Ahead of the upcoming Assembly Elections, the Election Commission is considering imposing a ban on advertisements that feature the Big B and some other top politicians spreading awareness about pulse polio programs.

While Big B's message to fight polio may have been for a noble cause, it’s become a handicap of sorts for the Samajwadi Party, considering the superstar’s proximity with the party leadership - primarily, Mulayam Singh Yadav and Amar Singh.

"It’s not directed against any individual. Its something which is a matter of principle,” says Chief Electoral Officer of UP, AK Bishnoi.

The Commission's view would mean that the entire polio campaign - involving politicians and celebrities - would go off air for the next two months.

This is also not the first time an ad featuring Bachchan in Uttar Pradesh has attracted controversy.

A couple of months ago, two more overtly political ads started appearing in the media and objections were raised.

Following the uproar, the UP Election Commission banned the telecast, only lift the ban later.

However, the Congress still insists that all ads featuring the Bollywod must be taken off..

"The Election Commission should see what Amitabh is being made to do. SP is getting him to say whatever they want," says Congress leader, Sri Prakash Jaiswal.

Samajwadi Party has obviously been pushed to the defensive.

"Amitabh Bachchan is a well known personality. Why should these ads be taken off air? Just because he happens to be in them?” says SP MP, Shahid Siddiqui.

Anything that Bachchan endorses becomes big, considering the megastar that he is.

However, the jury is still out on whether a performance in a polio awareness ad campaign qualifies into the category of surrogate election campaigning.

(With inputs from Meetu Jain)