Honesty is my only agenda, says Urmila Matondkar

Mumbai: Bollywood actress-turned-politician Urmila Matondkar on Friday said that she does not have any specific agenda for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections and that honesty is her only agenda.

Urmila Matondkar was interacting with the media during her election campaign in Mumbai.

The Congress on Friday fielded Urmila Matondkar from Mumbai North Lok Sabha constituency, two days after she joined the party.

Matondkar is pitted against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Gopal Shetty, who defeated former Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

Asked how she will contest an election against him as she is relatively new in politics, she said: “I agree that he has a lot of experience and has many things at his disposal, but I have immense support of people and I hope that they will be with me throughout my journey because I am not appearing as a star before them.

“I am coming to them as their representative. I just want to work for them. I am sure that they will stand by me.”

Matondkar joined the Congress after meeting Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday and later said that she is “here to stay”.

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Asked whether she has any specific agenda or strategy to win election, she said: “I don’t have any specific agenda. Honesty is my only agenda. I don’t have any strategy, agenda or PR with me. I feel people who have honesty in their heart and they know where they want to go then, most of the time achieve their goals.

“Mumbai has always been a fort of Congress and even in this election, it will remain the same. I feel if the entire Congress party comes together in this election, no one can stop us from winning.”

Matondkar said that the Congress party has participated in the freedom struggle and it stood for freedom. “I feel every citizen of this country has the right to make his own choice which is granted by the Constitution. I feel people like me should stand up, not just for themselves but for all of them.”

She said that she has blessings of all those who matter. “I have huge support of my fellow Congress workers and I am taking advice and guidance from the party high command. But most importantly, I need blessings of the people from my constituency.”

Mumbai will vote for all Lok Sabha seats in the metropolis on April 29.

Published on: March 29, 2019 at 00:17 IST

IANS