The Congress party announced on Friday that Bollywood actress turned politician Urmila Matondkar who joined the party on Tuesday will contest from Mumbai North parliamentary constituency on its ticket.

45-year-old Matondkar who had joined the Congress party on Wednesday quickly fit into the ways of a politician. On Thursday, she attacked the government at the Centre saying that the Modi government was propagating hate among the people.

The former Bollywood actress had said that it was not for the government to make a decision on who is a nationalist or an anti-national. “I mean leave that for us to decide,” she added.

“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,” Urmila Matondkar said as she prepares to fight from the constituency which is traditionally considered a BJP turf. In 2016, Urmila Matondkar married Kashmir-based businessman and model Mohsina Akhtar Mir.

The BJP-Shiv Sena face off over Mumbai North East constituency
On the other hand, the Shiv Sena and the BJP which set aside their differences to contest the elections together, appear to be heading for a face-off on the Mumbai North East constituency. While a section of the BJP is confident that sitting MP Kirit Somaiya will get another chance, the Shiv Sena appears to be determined to put up a fight for this seat.

Sunil Raut, who is the Shiv Sena MLA from Bhandup on Thursday stood openly against Somaiya, announcing that if the BJP backs Somaiya as its candidate from the Mumbai North East seat, he will still contest the election as an independent candidate. The sitting MP Somaiya had led BJP’s campaign against the Shiv Sena during BMC polls back in 2017 which saw Somaiya accuse the Thackeray family members of corruption in the BMC. This is the reason many see why the Sena is opposing Somaiya’s candidature from the day the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance was declared.

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The population composition

The said constituency is primarily ‘Gujarati’ in its composition and therefore the BJP is quite optimistic. However, it is worth noting that the constituency has large Marathi concentrations dominated by the Sena, which are pivotal for a victory. Therefore, the BJP is also thinking some other influential Gujarati names.

Maharashtra Lok Sabha election dates

Maharashtra will vote for lok sabha polls in four phases – April 11, April 18, April 23 and April 29 with Mumbai North East and Mumbai North constituency voting on April 29. The 2019 general elections will conclude on May 19 and the results will be announced on May 23.