Chavan asked to explain Bachchan's presence at Mumbai Sea link function - India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan is in hot water over being seen with Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan at the inaugural function of the second phase of Worli-Bandra sealink. Party sources said that the Congress high command has taken note of Bachchan's presence and asked for an explanation from Chavan. Chavan, however, has clarified his stand saying he would have not attended the function, had he known about Bachchan's presence. "Amitabh Bachchan is the brand ambassador of another state. We would like to promote our own state. Perhaps, I would not have attended the function had I known he would be present," said Chavan, adding that there are reports that some people in the Congress are unhappy about his presence. Mumbai Congress President Kripashankar Singh said, "I want to clarify that neither the Mumbai Congress nor I was consulted before inviting Amitabh Bachchan." Amitabh Bachchan is the brand ambassador for Narendra Modi's Gujarat - and Modi is a political pariah for the party. Meanwhile, Bachchan on Thursday said the controversy over his presence at the function had been 'manufactured' by the media. The superstar in his blog wrote: "A fresh controversy has been rapidly manufactured on my involvement. The media has been hounding me since the event at the sea link has got over, through incessant SMSes." The function was organised on Wednesday by Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), which falls under the PWD Ministry.