Kripashankar Singh, Urmila Matondkar resign from Congress | Mumbai news - Hindustan Times
close_game
close_game

Kripashankar Singh, Urmila Matondkar resign from Congress

MUMBAI | By
Sep 11, 2019 03:10 AM IST

In a statement, Matondkar said she was upset by the failure of the party’s leadership to put the house in order after the election debacle and the inaction against leaders responsible for the poor show.

In a blow to the Congress, reeling from several resignations ahead of the state Assembly elections in October, two Mumbai leaders —actor-turned-politician Urmila Matondkar and former minister Kripashankar Singh — quit the party on Tuesday.

Matondkar resigned from the party a little over five months after joining it, ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, as the party’s candidate from Mumbai North constituency.(HT image)
Matondkar resigned from the party a little over five months after joining it, ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, as the party’s candidate from Mumbai North constituency.(HT image)

Matondkar resigned from the party a little over five months after joining it, ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, as the party’s candidate from Mumbai North constituency. She was defeated by the BJP’s sitting MP, Gopal Shetty, by a margin of 4.65 lakh votes.

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

In a statement, Matondkar said she was upset by the failure of the party’s leadership to put the house in order after the election debacle and the inaction against leaders responsible for the poor show. She is unlikely to join the Opposition ahead of the elections. “Key functionaries of the Mumbai Congress are either unable or not committed to bring about change and transformation in the organisation for the betterment of the party. My political and social sensibilities refuse to allow vested interests in the party to use me as a means to fight petty internal politics,” she said.

Singh, a three-term MLA and also a former Mumbai Congress unit chief, quit the party, citing differences with the party’s stance over Article 370. However, there had been speculation for the past couple of years about Singh joining the BJP.

Matondkar’s statement yet again brought to the fore the internal rivalries within the Congress’ city unit, which will make it difficult for the party to perform well in the upcoming polls.

The actor, who had joined the Congress on March 27, in the presence of the then party president Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi, said she felt betrayed when a confidential letter to the then Mumbai unit chief of the party Milind Deora was leaked to the media conveniently.

“It was an act of blatant betrayal. No one from the party was apologetic or even concerned towards me for the same despite my repeated protests,” she has stated.

Meanwhile, Singh is expected to join BJP in the next few days and most likely contest from the Chandivli constituency in Mumbai. “Yes, I have resigned from the party over differences with the party’s stance on article 370,” he said. Last year, he was discharged from a disproportionate assets case.

Deora took to Twitter to support Matondkar. He tweeted : “After Matondkar decided to fight the LS elections, I supported her campaign wholeheartedly as Mumbai president. I stood by her when she was let down by those who brought her into the party.’’

Former city president, Sanjay Nirupam, also responded to the resignation through a tweet. He said, “It is unfortunate that she has resigned. I request her to rethink. Infighting is part and parcel of every organisation and we must fight against it, instead of giving up.”

Post the LS defeat, Urmila had remained active in politics and had recently visited the flood-affected areas of Kolhapur. She had also taken an active part in the party’s decisions related to North Mumbai and reportedly was insistent about a few candidates for the forthcoming Assembly polls.

In her letter to Deora, on May 16, a week ahead of the announcement of the Lok Sabha election results, Matondkar had named a few office bearers from Mumbai Congress, saying they were arrogant and had demanded money from her during the election campaign. She had demanded action against these leaders, who are seen to be close to Nirupam. Nirupam had been replaced by Deora days ahead of polls. After Deora submitted his resignation in the last week of May, post the election results, Nirupam had taken a dig at him. A day after Nirupam’s barb, the letter written by Matondkar was reported widely by the media.

The actor’s resignation has not yet been accepted.

Maharashtra Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant said, “The resignation has been submitted by her to Congress president Sonia Gandhi. The All India Congress Committee will take appropriate action.”

All India Congress Committee general secretary in-charge, Maharashtra, Mallikarjun Kharge, said, “We will try to persuade Matondkar to withdraw her resignation. We do not want more leaders to quit the party in such a bad phase.”

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Share this article
  • ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    author-default-90x90

    Surendra P Gangan is Senior Assistant Editor with political bureau of Hindustan Times’ Mumbai Edition. He covers state politics and Maharashtra government’s administrative stories. Reports on the developments in finances, agriculture, social sectors among others.

SHARE
Story Saved
Live Score
OPEN APP
Saved Articles
Following
My Reads
Sign out
New Delhi 0C
Friday, March 29, 2024
Start 14 Days Free Trial Subscribe Now
Follow Us On