In a major setback to Congress, its Lok Sabha candidate from Mumbai North, Urmila Matondkar is likely to be fielded by Shiv Sena for one of the Governor nominated Legislative Council seats.
Sources in Congress said that Matondkar was not keen to be nominated by the national party after she quit it after the Lok Sabha polls.
Maha Vikas Aghadi government has prepared a list of 12 candidates to be nominated by the Governor as MLCs. The list is likely to be sent to him on Monday.
Matondkar had contested the last Lok Sabha elections on Congress ticket and lost to BJP’s Gopal Shetty. Her candidature had brought some vigour in the party at that time.
Congress lost all six seats in Mumbai but the actorturned-politician’s presence kept the campaign lively for the party. She was appreciated for her anti-BJP stand and speeches during the election campaign.
However, due to some issues with the Congress, she quit and remained dormant for a long time. Matondkar was miffed with the Congress leadership over not keeping any communication after her defeat then. She had also expressed her displeasure about the party leadership with some Maharashtra leaders then.
The sources in the Congress said that the party wanted to field her this time, but she was not keen.
“She is a popular actor, a good speaker and a Marathi face. Her speeches were well taken during the Lok Sabha campaign. But things did not go ahead," a source close to the development said.
Taking up the opportunity, Shiv Sena spoke to her and convinced her for accepting the candidature.
“Urmila has spoken to the party leadership and has in principle accepted the nomination. The party was keen to nominate her she being a Marathi face and anti-BJP voice in the state,” a Sena cabinet minister said.
Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray would take a final call on the issue, and the list would go to the law and judiciary department on Monday and then back to the CM.
“The list would finally go to the governor, and the entire process is likely to be completed on Monday,” the minister added.
Phone calls and text messages to Matondkar on the matter went unanswered.