Friday saw a host of Marathi actors coming out in support of Sanjay Nirupam, the Congress candidate for Mumbai North West. The former MP was welcomed amid chaos at Bimbisar Nagar Colony in Goregaon (East), where he arrived after a programme at the BEST Colony in Dindoshi.
Marathi actors Pushkar Jog, Reshma Tipnis, Sai Lokur, and Swapnali Patil were the star campaigners for the rally. Mr. Nirupam’s entourage then proceeded to the Western Express Highway. As the rally turned left to Pratap Nagar, Mr. Nirupam was greeted by his supporters.
Dinkar Tawde, general secretary of NCP, Maharashtra, said, “We have never seen the MP, Gajanan Kirtikar, work. Due to the Modi wave in 2014, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) got the non-Maharashtrian votes. This time, non-Maharashtrians will vote for the Congress.”
On being asked on whether the Congress is confident of coming to power, Vijay Reddy, Seva Dal president of the district Congress, said, “At first we thought that the battle would be difficult, but then we received a better response as compared to what we had the last time. People are joining our rallies voluntarily and we have support from the NCP as well. We are confident that we will get 100% Marathi votes in the elections.”
Taking potshots at the BJP for fielding Pragya Singh Thakur, accused of the 2008 Malegaon blasts, from Bhopal, Mr. Nirupam said, “If the BJP claims it is against terror, it should not have fielded a candidate accused of terror. Ms. Thakur, for gaining sympathy, said she was mistreated in jail.”
On Ms. Thakur claiming Maharashtra IPS officer Hemant Karkare died because she cursed him, Mr. Nirupam said, “Karkare was a respectable IPS officer from Maharashtra. He had investigated the Malegaon blasts meticulously, and he was martyred during the 26/11 attacks. Making such statements is disrespectful.”
If the Congress comes to power, Mr. Nirupam promised, every poor person will receive a check for ₹72,000 anually. “Moreover, poor people will also get a 500 square feet house for free,” he said.
Mr. Nirupam, the former Congress city unit chief, is pitted against Mr. Kirtikar of the Shiv Sena.