Amitabh Bachchan politics: Indira Gandhi’s aide Makhanlal Fotedar in his memoirs The Chinar Leaves narrates how Amitabh Bachchan was kicked out of the Congress Party by Rajiv Gandhi
News East West
NEW DELHI: Amitabh Bachchan was in politics briefly from 1985 to 1987 when his childhood and family friend Rajiv Gandhi became the prime minister after the assassination of his mother. But Amitabh didn’t last long in politics as he was soon kicked out by Rajiv Gandhi even though reasons for which he was shown the door are unknown because Amitabh has never spoken about his humiliation at the hands of his family friend.
Indira Gandhi’s then trusted aide Makhanlal Fotedar now reveals in his just released memoirs The Chinar Leaves how Amitabh was kicked out by Rajiv Gandhi.
Fotedar writes that Indira Gandhi had in fact cautioned Rajiv just before her death that he should never bring Amitabh Bachchan into politics.
“Do not ever bring Teji’s son – Amitabh Bachchan – into electoral politics and do not induct Madhavrao Scindia in your Cabinet if you ever become the prime minister,” Fotedar quotes Indira Gandhi as telling her son. Teji was the name of Amitabh’s Sikh mother.
But despite her mother’s warning, Rajiv Gandhi on becoming prime minister ended up bringing Amitabh Bachchan into electoral politics and inducting Scindia as his minister.
Fotedar says once Amitabh became an MP from Allahabad in 1985, he started interfering in the functioning and appointments of various ministries.
He says many party leaders complained to him about Amitabh, but“I never reported to Rajivji about Amitabh’s functioning.”
Fotedar narrates how Amitabh was finally kicked out of the Congress by Rajiv Gandhi when the two fell out in 1987.
He writes, “Amitabh came to see the prime minister. They had discussions. That day around 2:45 pm or so when I was about to leave for lunch, the prime minister called me. He was accompanied by Amitabh, looking charismatic as usual in a white kurta pyjama. They were walking towards 7 Race Course Road (residence of the prime minister). We went inside. The PM took a chair. On his right was Amitabh and I was asked to sit on his left. Rajivji said (to Amitabh), `Fotedarji wants you to resign’. That was a surprise to me, and it must have been to Amitabh also.”
In response, Amitabh said, “If Fotedarji wants me to resign, I am ready to resign. Come on, give me the papers. What do I have to write?’’
Fotedar says he called Rajiv’s personal assistant Vincent George to bring a Lok Sabha letterpad and he gave it to the actor. “I told Amitabh:`Write in your hand to the speaker – I resign from the Lok Sabha’.’’
Amitabh said, “That is it?’’ He wrote his resignation which Fotedar forwarded to the speaker.
Cunning Chanakya that he is, Fotedar claims, “The truth is that I had never discussed this matter with the PM nor had Rajivji ever discussed it with me.’’
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