Urmila Matondkar Quits Congress, Exposes 'Petty In-House Politics'

In her letter, the actress had reportedly pointed fingers at two of Nirupam's aides Sandesh Kondvilkar and Bhushan Patil, accusing them of "total lack of coordination, honesty and efficiency, ensuring a disastrous outcome" in the elections. Seeking disciplinary action against the Patil-Kondvilkar duo, Matondkar also appealed for organizational level changes to improve the party's prospects in future elections.

Urmila Matondkar (PIC/Facebook)

Mumbai: Bollywood actress-turned-politician Urmila Matondkar on Tuesday quit the faction-ridden Congress party after having unsuccessfully contested from Mumbai North in the recent Lok Sabha polls. Issuing a press statement, Matondkar expressed her dismay over her letter written to Mumbai Congress President Milind Deora, that was leaked to the media. Matondkar said the letter contained privileged and confidential communication and the leakage of it to the media was "an act of blatant betrayal". She had joined Congress in March. Matondkar said that the persons named in the letter for the shoddy performance of Congress in Mumbai North were rewarded with "newer positions instead of holding them accountable for their acts and omissions". The actress said the Congress leadership was not serious about bring about a change and transformation in the organisation for betterment of the party. "My political and social sensibilities refuse to allow vested interests in the party to use me as a mean to fight petty in-house politics instead of working on a bigger goal in Mumbai Congress,"she alleged. In her letter, the actress had reportedly pointed fingers at two of Nirupam's aides Sandesh Kondvilkar and Bhushan Patil, accusing them of "total lack of coordination, honesty and efficiency, ensuring a disastrous outcome" in the elections. Seeking disciplinary action against the Patil-Kondvilkar duo, Matondkar also appealed for organizational level changes to improve the party's prospects in future elections. The Mumbai Congress has been ridden with factionalism since nearly four decades, even during the tenures of two former Union Ministers - Gurudas Kamat and Murli Deora - besides the so-called north-Indian lobby versus the others. For this, insiders claim, the party paid a heavy price in the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation elections, the assembly and parliament seats in the city. For instance, in a double whammy, in 2014 and 2019, the Congress lost all the six Lok Sabha seats to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party-Shiv Sena combine. Read Urmila Matondkar's Full Press Note:  I’ve resigned from the Indian National Congress. First thought of resignation came to me when after 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. Needless to say, no one from the party was apologetic or even concerned towards me for the same despite my repeated protests. Significantly, some of the persons specifically named in my letter for the shoddy performance of 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 betterment of the party. My political and social sensibilities refuse to allow vested interests in the party to use me as a mean to fight petty in-house politics instead of working on a bigger goal in Mumbai Congress. I stand by all my thoughts and ideologies and will continue to work for people to the best of my capacity with honesty and dignity. I thank all the people who helped and supported me through my journey. I also wish to sincerely thank the media. (With additional information from IANS)