New Delhi, Mar 23: Actor-turned-politician Raj Babbar, the Samajwadi party MP from Agra, has strongly defended Bollywood celebrities charging money for adding a dash of glamour to election campaigns and said there is absolutely no reason for them to feel apologetic about it. ''When they appear in a public show or endorse a product, they charge. So there is nothing wrong if they are peddling their crowd-pulling charms for monetary gains,'' Babbar said, throw in his weight behind screen personalities who have been accused of charging money from political parties to encash their popularity. The actor of many a popular flick minced no words in trashing the criticism levelled against both the big screen and television stars for earning ''easy and quick lucre''. ''They (cine stars) should not be ashamed. On the other hand, it is the political parties which should feel so. In fact, parties should introspect whether it fair on their part to lure voters by roping in stars of silver screen.'' Babbar, who figures in the first list of the Samajwadi Party (SP) for the Agra seat, did not rule out the possibility of a pact between his party and the Congress, but appeared more inclined towards the idea that prospects of a post-poll alliance looked more feasible than the pre-poll one.
''I am saying this in view of the ground political situation in Uttar Pradesh, the crucial Hindi heartland state which sends 80 lawmakers in Parliament,'' he said.
Visualising rich political dividends for the SP in the coming elections, Babbar said the party had gained ground on its own and scoffed at the suggestion that minorities were veering away from it.
''The party has proved its secular credentials beyond any shred of doubt and also provided a credible governance,'' he said, but conceded that a split in minority and backward class votes, though a distinct possibility, would not be massive.
''Even if it turns out to be a four-way race (SP, Congress, BJP and BSP) in Uttar Pradesh, the Samajwadi party is going to be number one,'' he said and hoped that the outfit would be able to Garner around 50 seats in the state. Bureau Report