Big B's brother woos voters for Cong-backed Mayoral candidate

67-year-old Ajitabh, who arrived in his hometown yesterday, addressed a string of public meetings to solicit support for Wadhawan.

Wadhawan is in fray for the Allahabad Mayor seat, reserved for women, for the June 27 civic polls.

Parrying questions pertaining to politics, including ties between the Big B and Nehru-Gandhi family, Ajitabh told reporters his decision to campaign was a "personal one".

"This followed an invitation from my old friend and Shree's husband Ravi Bhushan Wadhawan," he said.

"Whatever may be the occasion, a visit to this city is like homecoming for me.

"The last time I had visited the city was during the tragic death of our mother. I had come here with Amitabh, Jaya and Abhishek in 2007," he said.

Ravi Bhushan Wadhawan, a city-based businessman, was the Mayor of Allahabad in 1990s.

The Congress had initially fielded Satya Pande, a close aide of Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee chief Rita Bahuguna Joshi, as its Mayoral candidate.

Pande's candidature was withdrawn and the party's support to Shree was announced after Wadhawan reportedly decided to field his wife as an Independent.

Though top Congress leaders have so far stayed away from the campaign, the party has been trying to attract crowds through a liberal dose of star power.

Last week saw party MP Raj Babbar canvassing for the Congress-supported Mayoral candidate.

Actor Shakti Kapoor is also in the town to campaign for for the party.