Bollywood celebrity Salman Khan on Monday virtually endorsed Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Presidential poll campaign by being the chief guest at a charity medical camp organized by “Tharunya Hetak” the ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party’s youth front headed by Namal Rajapaksa, the President’s eldest son. Present on the occassion was President Rajapaksa himself and a large section of partymen.
Salman did not make any political statement.He merely mingled with the crowd of patients and partymen, waved at the crowd, fondled babies and posed for photographs.
Though there was nothing overtly political at the function, Khan’s participation in Tharunya Hetak’s public event in the run up to the January 8, 2015 Presidential election is seen in political circles as an endorsement of Rajapaksa’s election campaign.
The cine heart throb from Mumbai was accompanied by Sri Lanka’s own Bollywood star and Salman protege, Jacqueline Fernandesz, who is also known to be close to the Rajapaksas. Salman has known the Rajapaksas for sometime now. He has previously performed at shows in Colombo organized by clubs in which Namal Rajapaksa is a prominent member.
Despite his closeness to the Rajapaksas, Salman is not the numero uno among the Troika of Bollywood Khans, as far as Sri Lankan fikm fans are concerned.
Perhaps this was why the compere-cum-financier of Monday’s event, ruling party MP Thilanga Sumathipala, kept referring to Salman as “Shahrukh”. Sumathipala even ended his speech with a resounding “Shahrukh Khan ta Jayawewa!” (Victory to Shahrukh Khan).
Source:http://www.newindianexpress.com/world/Salman-Khan-Jacqueline-Lend-Star-Power-to-Rajapaksas-Poll-Campaign/2014/12/30/article2594885.ece
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