Bollywood actor Urmila Matondkar. [Express file photo]The Shiv Sena has picked Bollywood actor Urmila Matondkar for nomination to the Maharashtra Legislative Council through the Governor’s quota. Confirming the same, Sena’s chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut told The Indian Express, “Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has spoken to Matondkar and she has agreed to be nominated by the Sena.”
The Maha Vikas Aghadi government is supposed to recommend 12 names to Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari for nomination to the Upper House of the state legislature.
Matondkar is also likely to be appointed as one of the spokepersons of the Sena.
The actor’s name for the nomination was earlier doing the rounds from the Congress. However, Sena leaders said that she had resigned from the Grand Old Party last year.
Matondkar had contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Mumbai North on a Congress ticket but lost to BJP’s Gopal Shetty.
On Thursday, the Maharashtra cabinet had approved a proposal, authorising the Chief Minister to send 12 names to the Governor for nomination to the council. Sources said that ruling allies Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress have recommended four names each.
Two prominent names who are likely to be in the 12-member list are Eknath Khadse, who recently switched over from BJP to NCP, and farmer leader Raju Shetti, NCP leaders said.
“The names of farmer leader Raju Shetti and Eknath Khadse, besides Shivajirao Gajre, Uttamrao Jankar and Anand Shinde are being considered among others. They are sure-shot probables,” an NCP leader said.
While Khadse had apparently been promised a council seat and ministerial berth before he joined the NCP, Shetti, who shares a close rapport with party chief Sharad Pawar, had lost the elections last year but his rehabilitation was made a top priority by NCP.
Pawar himself was keen to get Shetti into the government. “He is being nominated and may make it to the ministry as well. Pawar saheb may ask two ministers to quit,” said an NCP leader.
When contacted, Shetti’s office said last week that state NCP chief Jayant Patil had asked for the bio-data of the farmer leader. “We have submitted the bio-data,” said a close aide of Shetti, who admitted to Dinanath Mangeshkar hospital in Pune after he complained of uneasiness on Wednesday.