Veteran Bollywood actor Govinda has made a political comeback by joining the Shiv Sena led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in Mumbai. Govinda officially joined Shiv Sena at Balasaheb Bhavan after meeting with the Chief Minister earlier in the day. Sources indicate that Govinda may contest from the North-West Mumbai seat on the Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) ticket, potentially challenging Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Amol Kirtikar.
Speaking at the occasion, Govinda expressed his surprise at returning to the political arena after a 14-year hiatus, referring to it as his 'vanvas' or exile. He praised the development of Mumbai under Chief Minister Shinde's leadership and expressed his willingness to contribute to the fields of art and culture if given the opportunity.
However, NCP (Sharad Pawar) leader Jayant Patil took a critical stance on Govinda's decision to join the Shinde camp, questioning his popularity as an actor and suggesting that a better-known actor should have been chosen. Patil's remarks hinted at some discord within the political circles regarding Govinda's entry into Shiv Sena.
In the past, Govinda contested the Mumbai North Lok Sabha seat under the Congress banner in the 2004 Lok Sabha elections, defeating senior BJP leader Ram Naik. However, he later distanced himself from the Congress party and politics, opting not to contest in the 2009 Lok Sabha polls.
The upcoming Lok Sabha polls in Maharashtra are scheduled to be held in five phases between April 19 and May 20, with vote counting slated for June 4. However, seat-sharing agreements between political alliances such as Mahayuti and Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) are still under negotiation. Eknath Shinde is yet to finalize seat-sharing arrangements with BJP and Ajit Pawar-led NCP.
The announcement of candidates by Shiv Sena for 17 Lok Sabha seats has left both Congress and NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) disgruntled, particularly regarding seat-sharing in Mumbai. Maha Vikas Aghadi constituents, including Congress, Sena (UBT), and NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar), have been engaged in discussions to finalize seat allocations for the 48 constituencies in Maharashtra. Sena (UBT) has declared its intention to contest 22 seats in the state, while Congress has been pushing for three out of the six seats in Mumbai – North West, North Central, and South Central.
