Lok Sabha elections 2024: Actor Govinda joins CM Shinde-led Shiv Sena in Mumbai

Bollywood actor Govinda on Thursday officially joined Shiv Sena in presence of Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde in Mumbai ahead of the Lok Sabha elections 2024Earlier there had been speculations that CM Eknath Shinde could have possibly convinced former MP Govinda to be Shiv Senarsquos candidate from Mumbai North West against the Uddhav Thackeray Senarsquos Amol KirtikarIn 2004 Govinda had broken the BJPs fiveterm winning streak in Mumbai North During his political tenure the famous Virar ka Chokra invited more criticism than accolades Fed up he quit politics before his fiveyear term ended He has stayed away from politics since then Govinda is reported to have met CM Shinde recently and that meeting triggered the talks of his comeback to the business of politicsGovinda had emerged as a giant killer in 2004 when as the Congress candidate he defeated BJP stalwart Ram Naik in the Mumbai North Lok Sabha seatCM Eknath Shinde welcomed the 60yearold actor into his party saying he was a popular figure in all sections of societySpeaking on the occasion Govinda who started his acting career in the 1980s said after his first stint in politics from 2004 to 2009 he never felt he would again come back to the same field as per the PTII am back in politics after a 14yearlong vanvas exile he remarked according to the PTIGovinda said he would work in the art and culture field if given a chanceMumbai looks more beautiful and developed since Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde has become CM he notedThe actor said development of the country under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi was unbelievable Live 28032024 httpstcoif6jATCLermdash Eknath Shinde mieknathshinde March 28 2024CM Shinde who took over as CM in June 2022 said there is positivity and prosperity in Mumbai and pollution levels are also coming down in the metropolisThe CM maintained the versatile actor has joined his party without any preconditions and rejected suggestions that the entry was linked to electionsGovinda stands for progress He is impressed with Modijis development policies He wants to do something for the welfare and progress of the film industry I am sure he will be the link between the government and the film industry He has joined us without any conditions Shinde asserted according to the PTIGovinda has ended his vanvas and come to Ram rajya noted the Shiv Sena leader whose party is an ally of the BJPMy government is prodevelopment and propeople and he was impressed with its policies the CM saidAsked whether the actor will be fielded from the Mumbai NorthWest Lok Sabha seat Shinde clarified he hadnt put any conditionsHe just wants to work for the film industry he said adding Govinda hasnt joined the party for an election ticketShinde said the Shiv Sena which heads the governing Mahayuti coalition in the state will soon release its list of Lok Sabha candidatesThe Mahayuti is contesting all 48 seats in Maharashtra Ours is not a government which runs from home We are field people and work for the welfare of people the CM maintainedThe ruling coalition consists of the Shiv Sena the BJP and the NCP led by Ajit PawarTo a question on NCP Sharadchandra Pawar leader Jayant Patil calling Govinda a flop actor Shinde emphasised that insulting a film artist amounts to showing disrespect to the entire entertainment industryAsked about Shiv Sena leader Vijay Shivtare contesting from the Baramati Lok Sabha seat the home turf of deputy CM Ajit Pawar in Pune district Shinde said his colleague has clarified that the partys decision on the matter was final for him and added I am thankful to himwith PTI inputs