The Congress on Thursday backed Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan in the wake of a controversy over actor Amitabh Bachchan's presence at a state government function in Mumbai.
At the same time, it has justified the anger of party workers in the state over the invitation to the actor, saying they are angry because Bachchan has identified himself with controversial Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.
"The party is aware of whatever has happened there. The chief minister of Maharashtra has already given a clarification. Party workers are angry because Amitabh Bachchan has identified himself with Narendra Modi," All India Congress Committee general secretary Janardan Dwivedi told reporters.
The statement of the media department in-charge of the AICC comes against the backdrop of the resentment brewing in a section of the Mumbai Congress, over the invite extended to Bachchan to attend the function, where Chief Minister Ashok Chavan inaugurated the sea link on Wednesday.
Chavan himself indicated the unhappiness in the party over the invite to Bachchan, a friend-turned-foe of the Congress, and exclusion of some party leaders from the function organised by the public works department ministry headed by Congress' coalition partner Nationalist Congress Party, which justified the presence of the actor.
A section of the Congress is reportedly unhappy since Bachchan is the brand ambassador of Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled Gujarat and his relationship with the Gandhi family has been strained.
The NCP controls the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation, the implementing agency of the sea link.
Asked if it was a mistake to invite him to a function where Bachchan was also invited, the chief minister had said on Wednesday, "As it was a government function, adequate care should have been taken about the invitations being sent out".
However, Public Undertakings Minister Jaidutt Kshirsagar, who is also the MSRDC chairman, justified the decision to invite Bachchan as he was an 'icon'.
