Local elections are fought on local issues, foreigners are only showpieces there.

Even to snatch half a vote,political parties use all the tricks. When Involving the movie actors was not frowned at, why the involvement of foreigners ,frowned ???

Movie stars and even clown are Indians who have rights of citizen in India. The worst Indian is better than best foreigner so far as democratic rights and functions of citizens are concerned. Today you allow foreigners as guest. Tomorrow you will allow them to address election meeting. Then the demand for importing foreign candidates may also emerge. What is the limit.

Incidentally may I question why some quarters oppose Sonia Gandhi, an Indian citizen just because of her foreign origin? :cheer:

As you said, the opposition is from some quarters. And those quarters are political quarters. For a common man itmakes no difference.
Did we not accept Annie Besant as the president of Indian National Congress ?

Then India was not independent and some British also sympathized with Indians. Foreign diplomats are not same as other India based foreigners. Unlike others the diplomats represent their respective governments. We don't expect other countries to participate in election meetings of Indian political parties through their ambassadors. such invitation is in fact invitation to alien governments to interfere in our internal affairs.

Participation of some foreigners in a rally doesn't exactly mean interference with our internal affairs. They were not forced. They were not asked to comment on any issue related to India. Above all, all those who were invited did not participate. Those who thought there is nothing wrong in participating, participated.

This is not question of 'foreigners' . This is question of 'foreign diplomats'. They represent their governments and constructively their participation is akin to participation by the governments they represent. I hope the difference between foreign, of foreign origin and foreign diplomat should not be lost sight of.

These diplomats must be supporting Modi in the election campaigns and this explains they will be friendlier if he comes to power at Delhi.

British and American ambassadors refused the invitations. They are aware of implication of attending election rally of a political party. Their presence in rally can be taken as support by their governments. They wisely avoided attending the rally and consequently the charge of interfering in internal affairs of a sovereign country. They saved their own governments also from embarrassment.