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Maharashtra government trying to rope Elton John for millennium bash

British rock star Sir Elton John may perform in Bombay on January 2, 2000, which will be the highlight of the year-long millennium bash in Maharashtra.

"We are trying to get Sir Elton John for the millennium celebrations," Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal, who is also in charge of the tourism portfolio, told reporters at a meet-the-press organised by the Press Club of Bombay.

"We are trying our best... Various modalities are being worked out. Various issues related to the security of the pop star are being worked out," he said.

The Zee Group has agreed to sponsor part of the millennium celebrations, which will be on the landscape of the skyscrapers at Nariman Point. The celebrations will be telecast live to 164 countries, he said.

Apart from Sir Elton, others who are expected to perform at the bash are tabla maestro Zakir Hussein, classical singer Bhimsen Joshi, noted playback singer Asha Bhosle and Punjabi pop craze Daler Mehndi.

Bhujbal said the celebrations would not be limited to Bombay, but would be taken to the district and block level. Special programmes for children and cultural programmes will be organised in various parts of the state.

In Bombay, several programmes will be organised at Marine Drive, also known as the Queen's Necklace, Dadar, Girgaum Chowpatty, Juhu, Shivaji Park and other places.

Asked whether the state government intends to earn anything from the shows, Bhujbal said, "We are neither going to earn nor lose. We have appointed event managers who will be taking care of various modalities of organising the bash."

UNI

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