Bollywood actor and Congress’s latest star attraction Urmila Matondkar said on Thursday that the party is yet to confirm her candidature from Mumbai North.
In her first interaction with the media, Ms. Matondkar said she decided to join the Congress because the party’s ideology matched with that of her father Shrikant Matondkar, who was a senior leader of the All India Bank Employees Association. She said, “These days people enter politics for gains but I have done it because my ideology and value system matches with that of the Congress. The party has not informed me if I will get a ticket from North Mumbai. I read about it in the press.”
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The actor said she had the backing of her fellow actors though many of them have been hobnobbing with the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. She said, “Everyone knows who is playing the politics of religion. Bollywood actors are just artistes. They go where they are invited and speak what they are asked to at that platform. But that is their personal issue.”
The actor officially joined the Congress after meeting party president Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi on Wednesday. Party leaders said she is likely to be fielded against BJP’s Gopal Shetty and could win the seat by using her star power and humanitarian work for the underprivileged. Welcoming the actor’s entry into the fray, Mr. Shetty said he was not bothered about her star power.
Mr. Shetty said he was unlikely to change his strategy in the constituency.
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