Peeved by ‘petty politics’ within party, Urmila Matondkar quits Cong

Actor-turned-politician Urmila Matondkar quit the Congress on Tuesday citing petty politics within the party. She complained that some party members had been given plum posts in spite of their dismal performance.

Her association with the party lasted just 158 days. She had joined the party on March 27 and was the Congress candidate for the Mumbai North constituency in the Lok Sabha polls, which she lost by a huge margin.

“My political and social sensibilities refuse to allow vested interests in the party to use me as a means to fight petty in-house politics instead of working on a bigger goal in Mumbai Congress,” Matondkar said in a statement.

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“First thought of resignation came to me when, despite my repeated efforts, no action was taken in pursuance of my letter dated 16th May, addressed to then Mumbai Congress President Mr Milind Deora. Thereafter, to my utter dismay, the said letter containing privileged and confidential communication was conveniently leaked to the media, which according to me was an act of blatant betrayal,” the statement said.

She added: “Needless to say, no one from the party was apologetic or even concerned for me. Significantly, some of the persons specifically named in my letter for the shoddy performance of the INC in Mumbai North were rewarded with newer positions instead of holding them accountable for their acts and omissions. However, it is obvious that the key functionaries of Mumbai Congress are either unable or not committed to bring about a change and transformation in the organisation for the betterment of the party...,” she said.

Read more: I am here to fight the politics of negativity and hatred, says Urmila Matondkar

A Congress member said that her resignation is definitely a major setback to the party in Mumbai. Her discontent should have been handled with maturity.

After losing the seat to BJP’s sitting MP Gopal Shetty by a massive margin, she had told news channels that the defeat had not demotivated her. The parliamentary election was a fresh start to her political career.

Her entry in political space was influenced by her father who was associated with a banking trade union.