Don brother scripts Govinda-Sonia show

Govinda was star candidate, Sonia Gandhi, star campaigner but somebody else stole the show at Chimajiappa Grounds in Vashi today. Minutes be...

Govinda was star candidate, Sonia Gandhi, star campaigner but somebody else stole the show at Chimajiappa Grounds in Vashi today. Minutes before the rally kicked off, MLA Hitendra Thakur, brother of Vasai-Virar don Bhai Thakur strode in and settled into a chair beside Congress leaders.

A few chairs were discreetly moved away but the former TADA accused was very much part of the campaign. A key vote-catcher in the Vasai-Virar suburbs and a former Ram Naik supporter, Thakur has unambiguously thrown his weight behind the Congress nominee from North Mumbai, much to the discomfiture of several leaders in the party.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Govinda’s PR manager Hayat Shaikh said: ‘‘Considering their friendship, Hitendra Thakur has offered unconditional support to Govinda. Hitendra has promised to offer all support and his presence at the rally has given a boost to Govinda’s campaign in Vasai and surrounding areas.’’ Govinda had personally invited Thakur, a childhood acquaintance, brushing aside all objections of having him over at Sonia Gandhi’s function. Thakur, in turn, supervised all arrangements for the rally, including the cutouts of Sonia and NCP president Sharad Pawar pegged in at the venue.

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Minister of State for Home Kripashanker Singh, who was the ‘‘master of ceremony’’, was also forced to publicly acknowledge Thakur’s presence at the rally. Congressmen, however, managed to keep him from meeting Sonia.

Govinda himself did not refer to Thakur, though. He opened his address after touching the feet of ‘‘Sonia ma’’. Sporting a beige-brown kurta and churidar with Maharashtrian saffron headgear, the actor looked straight out of sets of his blockbuster, Raja Babu. He followed up the appearance with a speech peppered with philosophy, poetry and quotations.

Thakur didn’t take kindly to the miss. When a miffed Thakur ticked off Govinda for omitting his name, the actor promptly stopped his car at a highway restaurant and held an impromptu press meet to give credit to Thakur for managing the rally.

The rally, a first by Sonia for a Mumbai candidate, saw an impressive turnout Sonia accused the BJP of destroying the social fabric of India. Citing the SC ‘s Best Bakery verdict, Sonia slammed the PM for shielding Narendra Modi the apex court’s strictures.