Suspense over Congress candidate for Mumbai North continues even as Urmila Matondkar joins the party

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the actor will contribute in spreading the Congress ideology and strengthening the party.
Bollywood actor Urmila Matondkar addresses after joining the Congress Party in New Delhi. (Photo | PTI)
Bollywood actor Urmila Matondkar addresses after joining the Congress Party in New Delhi. (Photo | PTI)

MUMBAI: Suspense on Congress candidate for the Mumbai North seat has increased as the Bollywood star Urmila Matondkar who joined the Congress on Wednesday at Delhi said that she is not doing so to contest the election.

The party had been planning to pitch a celebrity in the BJP stronghold constituency in a hope to repeat its performance of 2004, when actor Govinda had defeated BJP’s Ram Naik on the latter's home turf.

“I am here because I believe in the ideology of Congress and what the party stands for. I have not joined the party for the sake of elections,” Matondkar told reporters while addressing a press conference in Delhi along with party spokesperson Randeep Surjewala.

“I am here to stay,” she said, adding her entry in the Congress was not about elections, while Surjewala said that the actor will contribute in spreading the Congress ideology and strengthening the party.

Matondkar said she felt the need to join the Congress party as the freedom to express was under attack in the country and there are numerous examples in this regard in the last five years. She said the Congress party has participated in the freedom struggle and it stood for freedom.

“Today is a significant day for me as I have formally entered politics. My life has been inspired by Mahatma Gandhi from the days of my childhood,” she added.

While, Matondkar’s joining the party has brought hope to the party cadre, fielding her for the Mumbai-North constituency might disturb the North Indian voters in the constituency, a group within the party feels. The constituency is predominantly Gujarati and North-Indian in voter profile. It has two lakh Marathi voters. However, they are against the party due to the then city party chief Sanjay Nirupam’s agitation in favour of North-Indian street vendors. While Matondkar’s “Marathi Girl” image might help the party to gain sizable chunk of those two lakh Marathi voters, the north-Indian chunk might desert the party if that flock comes along, said a senior party leader from the area.

In 2004, Goinda’s ‘Bhaiya’ image had helped the party win and would need a similar celebrity effect if that kind of result is to be repeated, the leader said.

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