Urmila fate rests on ‘aapley’ votes

Urmila fate rests on ‘aapley’ votes

FPJ Political BureauUpdated: Wednesday, May 29, 2019, 12:37 AM IST
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Mumbai: Few can imagine how this ‘Masoom’ girl, who won hearts as a child actor and later rocked the nation with her smart dance moves and acting in Rangeela, is now aiming to win hearts through the ballot.

After Govinda ala re slogans reverberated through Mumbai North, Marathi mulgi Urmila Matondkar, may just hum to the voters, ‘Chal mere sangh, lele duniya ke rang, ho ja Rangeela re…”

This constituency has had a fascination for Bollywood stars and Govinda Ahuja showed as a first-timer that he could win and Congress believes that by replacing Sanjay Nirupam, they too can capture many-a-heart with Urmila.

In a sudden development, newly-appointed Mumbai unit president Milind Deora and former president Sanjay Nirupam arranged a meeting of Urmila with party president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday morning in the national capital, where she joined the party. Later that evening, the party announced Urmila’s candidature.

“I believe in Congress ideology. From my childhood, I was impressed with the ideology of Mahatma Gandhi, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

That is why I joined Congress,” said Urmila, after she joined the party. Urmila will fight against Shetty of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has a stronghold in Borivli, Dahisar, Kandivli (east) and Charkop Assembly segments. In this Lok Sabha constituency, Shiv Sena also has a legislator in Magathane and the Congress in Malad (West) assembly seats.

According to political observers, with Urmila joining Congress, the tussle will be between Marathi and Gujarati voters of Mumbai North. “There are 6.50 lakh Marathi voters followed by Gujarati, Jains and Marwaris who comprise nearly 5.50 lakh voters,’’ said the observer. The Borivli, Magathane and Dahisar belt is Marathidominated whereas Malad West is a Congress bastion.

Leaders say the Marathi vote can make a marked difference if Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) extends its support. “MNS will play an important role in this constituency. It has more than two lakh supporters and if Raj Thackeray rallies to support the ‘Marathi mulgi’, the Congress can benefit,” said a leader on condition of anonymity.

He added that Raj is strongly and openly opposing PM Narendra Modi and he will not ask party workers to support the BJP. According to a Sena insider, their party votes are likely to go against the BJP candidate Shetty despite their pre-poll alliance.

“Sena workers are unhappy with Shetty, as they claim he is arrogant; and, moreover, if he wins, the BJP will have control over the BMC wards in the area,” said a Sena leader. He explained that there are already four BJP legislators in this constituency and if Shetty gets re-elected, they will oppose Sena’s moves in the wards that fall under their leadership.

Shetty compared his popularity with that of Urmila’s. However, a BJP functionary echoed the sentiments expressed by Sena leaders. “BJP supporters and workers in this constituency are disappointed with Shetty. They feel his arrogance will go against him in these elections.”

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