Mohanlal's Cameo In Kerala Poll Campaign Panned By Colleagues

Thiruvananthapuram: Superstar Mohanlal's "special appearance" in the Kerala poll campaign has been booed by his colleagues. National award-winning actor Salim Kumar has quit the state film actors' body, angry with Mohanlal for campaigning for a Left candidate.

On Thursday evening, Mohanlal attended a massive gathering in the Pathanapuram constituency of Kollam, where actor-politician KB Ganesh Kumar is the opposition Left Democratic Front candidate for the May 16 state polls. To a roaring audience, the 55-year-old star said: "Ganesh is a personal friend and I have come to meet him."

Salim Kumar told reporters today Mohanlal had broken the unwritten code in the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA) against campaigning for any member contesting the polls. "Mohanlal is the vice-president of the body and the rules were broken by him when he went and campaigned for Ganesh Kumar," he said.

"Two other actors, Jagdish and Bheemen Reghu are contesting as rival candidates in the same constituency. I am a Congress supporter and I could have campaigned for Jagdish, but I did not because of the unwritten understanding," Mr Kumar fumed.

Comedian Jagdish, the Congress candidate, said about Mohanlal's visit: "We know each other for several decades and the feeling here is since he came to meet Ganesh Kumar, he should have called on both of us too."

Mr Kumar sent his resignation to megastar Mammootty, who is the general secretary of the actors' body.

There has been no official word from others in the association but its president Innocent, who is a Lok Sabha lawmaker and won as a Left-supported candidate, played down the controversy, saying Mohanlal just made a "personal visit".

Ganesh Kumar, 50, is looking for a fourth consecutive win in the constituency.

He quit the Congress-led United Democratic Front last year over differences.  Many believe that he faces a tough challenge from Jagdish in the May 16 polls.