Maharashtra Assembly election: Congress wants Priya Dutt to enter the poll fray

Congress leaders have expressed a desire to see Priya Dutt as the candidate for Mumbai’s Bandra west, a constituency she has represented twice in the past as a Member of Parliament

Congress leaders have requested Priya Dutt to enter the election fray for the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections. The party wants to field her as its candidate from Mumbai’s Bandra West constituency, which she has represented twice as a Member of Parliament in the past. The constituency is currently represented by Bharatiya Janata Party Mumbai president Ashish Shelar, and with this move, the Congress hopes to tap into the substantial Muslim vote base in the area. Ms. Dutt did not respond to any queries on the matter.

Amid the seat sharing talks between the alliance partners of the Maha Vikas Aghadi, where the Shiv Sena UBT will want to show its upper hand in Mumbai, the Congress strategy to safeguard its traditionally strong belt is being seen as a crucial step.

Mumbai Congress president Varsha Gaikwad and senior city Congress leader Aslam Sheikh went and met Ms. Dutt at her residence on Monday. “We want her to fight this election. We want her to be our face from Bandra west constituency. This is her constituency. She has worked here for decades. Before her, her father represented this constituency. And though she has stepped out of active politics for the last few elections, she has been very active socially,” Ms. Gaikwad told The Hindu.

When asked about the discussion with the leader, she said, “Priya Dutt is still very much in public life. She continues to do social service, though she is not in active politics. What is important to understand is that she is still a Congress member. She hasn’t resigned from the party. And we really hope she agrees to contest this election on Congress ticket.”

She said she shared a personal rapport with Ms. Dutt as well as her father, and it was a bond that had continued for generations. “My father and Sunil Dutt sahab were very close. She is someone who has always been my go-to person. She had campaigned for me. She had her own reasons to step back from electoral politics. But we think, this is a good time for her to return and fight elections,” she said.

When asked if Ms. Dutt had given any commitment, she said the party still awaited her response.

Published - September 24, 2024 09:47 pm IST