Urmila Matondkar to join Shiv Sena on Monday

Urmila Matondkar, Bollywood actor-turned-politician who contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections on a Congress ticket and resigned five months later, is all set to join the Shiv Sena. Urmila Matondkar will join Shiv Sena on Monday, over a year after leading the Congress party. No further details about her joining the Shiv Sena have been shared.

The development comes a year after Urmila Matondkar resigned from the primary membership of the Congress, citing petty politics as the reason. Urmila Matondkar had joined the Congress in March 2019 ahead of the Lok Sabha elections and exited it in September 2019.

In her statement, Urmila Matondkar said, “My political and social sensibilities refuse to allow vested interests in the party to use me as a means to fight petty in-house politics instead of working on a bigger goal in Mumbai Congress.”

Urmila Matondkar said the thought of resignation came to her after no action was taken regarding her letter in which she had criticised close aides of senior party leader Sanjay Nirupam.

“To my utter dismay, the letter containing privileged and confidential communication was conveniently leaked to the media which according to me was an act of blatant betrayal. Needless to say, no one from the party was apologetic or even concerned towards me for the same despite my repeated protests,” Urmila Matondkar said in her statement.

Urmila Matondkar also said she will continue to work for people with honesty and dignity as she thanked all those who helped and supported her. On November 30, Urmila Matondkar is joining the Shiv Sena.

Urmila Matondkar had unsuccessfully contested the Lok Sabha elections from Mumbai North seat as a Congress candidate. Urmila Matondkar had taken on senior BJP leader Gopal Shetty.