Cobrapost sting operation: Why Vidya Balan said no in cash for tweet sting
Mumbai, Feb 22: Actor Vidya Balan, who was among the four people who said no to cash for tweet in a sting operation, said she declined the offer because she was "uncomfortable" in using her social media handle for something like that.
Over 30 Bollywood, TV and music personalities were caught on tape by Cobrapost reporters agreeing to promote the agenda of political parties in exchange for money.
Vidya, Arshad Warsi, Raza Murad and Saumya Tandon were the only ones who refuses to do it.
When asked about it, Vidya told reporters, "I can't pass a judgement on anyone else but all I will say is I'm uncomfortable doing it, which is why I didn't do it. To each his own.
"May be they didn't even realise because today on social media, people are commenting on anything. May be they thought this was not big. We should not become judge, jury and executioners at the drop of hat. I could not do it so I didn't."
She was speaking at the launch of her Radio show "Dhun Badalke Toh Dekho" on 92.7 Big FM.
At the event, the actor was also asked about her opinion on banning Pakistani artistes after the Pulwama attacks in the valley.
Vidya said though she is a believer that art unites, but the attack was too much.
"I did believe that there's no better way to bring people together than arts. Whether it is music, dance, theatre. May be for now we should take a break. Some tough calls have to be taken at some point. We as Indians are very large-hearted, accepting, forgiving. But after a point..."
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AIMIM wins Malegaon Central seat by 162 votes
Malegaon (Maharashtra), Nov 23: In a closely contested election, Mohammad Ismail Abdul Khalique of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) has retained the Malegaon Central assembly seat, winning by a razor-thin margin of 162 votes.
This victory in the north Maharashtra constituency marks a significant turnaround for Khalique, who previously enjoyed a commanding lead in the 2019 elections, winning by over one lakh votes.
Khalique, an Islamic scholar, received a total of 1,09,653 votes this time, narrowly defeating his nearest rival, Asif Shaikh Rasheed of the Indian Secular Largest Assembly of Maharashtra party, who got 1,09,491 votes.
There were a total of 13 candidates contesting in this Muslim dominated constituency. Barring Khalique and Rasheed, two other candidates -- Shaan-e-Hind Nihal Ahmed of Samajwadi Party and Ejaz Baig Aziz Baig managed below 10,000 votes. Other remaining candidates were below 1,000 votes.
This election marks Khalique's third term as an MLA. He initially represented the Malegaon Central seat in 2009 as a member of the Jan Surajya Shakti party.
However, Khalique faced a setback in the 2014 elections when he contested under the banner of the Nationalist Congress Party and lost.
His return to the assembly in 2019 under the AIMIM banner solidified his political presence, and despite the significantly reduced margin this year, he has once again emerged victorious.
The results highlight the competitive nature of the Malegaon Central constituency and underscore Khalique's resilience in maintaining his position amidst changing political dynamics.
