Mumbai:
Film buff L K Advani on Friday ignored an invite to watch a special screening of Shah Rukh Khan's yet to be released film
My Name Is Khan. So did the BJP's new boss Nitin Gadkari.
By the time the show started, it was clear the BJP top brass invited through phone calls and SMSes was staying away - despite the fact that the show was organised by the BJP's Mumbai spokesperson Shaina N C.
In the last two days, the BJP has defended Shah Rukh Khan who's under attack from the Shiv Sena. But by abstaining from the special screening of his film, the party indicated it is not going to join issue with the Sena publically.
Through the day the BJP maintained the screening wasn't organised by the party. The BJP leadership's presence at the show would have been an open snub to Sena and threatened the alliance.
In the last Assembly elections, the BJP won more seats than the Shiv Sena. But unsure about how strong the Marathi manoos undercurrent is, it decided to ignore the screening.
Even the couple of BJP faces that turned up refused to be drawn into any controversy.
"It's a nice film," said BJP leader Chetan Chauhan.
Those who watched the film said it was good. For the BJP leaders the positive was that sometimes absence makes good politics.
Also read: VHP calls for boycott of Shah Rukh Khan's film