Maharashtra to see Modi, Sonia Gandhi, celebrity MPs as star campaigners

Mumbai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress President Sonia Gandhi are among the star campaigners who will criss cross the length and breadth of Maharashtra to woo over eight crore voters ahead of the October 15 state Assembly polls.

BJP has submitted a list of 54 star campaigners including Modi and chief ministers of BJP-ruled states. Adding to glamour quotient in party's campaigning, Bollywood stars and party MPs Hema Malini, Paresh Rawal, Vinod Khanna and Babul Supriyo will campaign for the party nominees. According to the State Electoral Office, Congress star campaigners include its president Sonia Gandhi, former PM Manmohan Singh, vice president Rahul Gandhi, leader in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and MP Jyotiraditya Scindia.

Former cricketer Mohammad Azharuddin and actress Nagma will also tour the state as 'star' Congress campaigners.

Shiv Sena has submitted a list of 36 campaigners including party chief Uddhav Thackeray and his son Aditya Thackeray. Well-known actor and party deputy leader Amol Kolhe and television personality and party secretary Aadesh Bandekar are also among their star campaigners.

A B Bardhan is among the ten Left leaders who will tour the state.

Rashtriya Samaj Party (RSP) has 11 campaigners including Mahadev Jankar, who is now an ally of BJP.

Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, his son and UP chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and prominent party leaders from Uttar Pradesh will also campaign in support of their candidates in the state.

MNS has listed 16 campaigners, prominent being its chief Raj Thackeray, said the State Electoral Office.

A lesser-known "Gareeb Aadmi Party", registered and recognised party, is contesting 45 seats and its convenor Shyam Bharatiya is the star campaigner.