Actor-turned-politician Urmila Matondkar quits Congress

Actor-turned-politician Urmila Matondkar on Tuesday announced her resignation from the Congress within six months of joining it and unsuccessfully contesting the maiden Lok Sabha election, owing to "petty in-house politics".

The announcement by Matondkar, who had bagged 2,41,431 votes across six segments of the Mumbai North seat, came as a huge embarrassment for the Congress which is struggling to keep its flock together ahead of the Maharashtra assembly polls, slated to be held next month.

Matondkar, who joined the Congress in March this year, was defeated by BJP stalwart Gopal Shetty in the polls.

In a statement, Matondkar observed the key functionaries of the Mumbai Congress are either unable to or are not committed to transforming the party.

"I have resigned from the Indian National Congress. 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 said.

She has sent across the letter on 7 September but made her resignation public on Tuesday.

One of the reasons behind her resignation is the infighting within the Mumbai Regional Congress Committee (MRCC). "...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 the betterment of the party," she said.

Matondkar said the first thought of resignation came to her mind when she realised that "no action" was being taken despite her "repeated efforts" on her letter dated May 16 addressed to the then Mumbai Congress president Milind Deora.

In her letter, Matondkar had criticised the conduct of Sandesh Kondvilkar and Bhushan Patil, close associates of Sanjay Nirupam, a former Mumbai Congress president.

"Thereafter, to my utter dismay, the letter containing privileged and confidential communication was conveniently leaked to the media, which according to me was an act of a blatant betrayal.

"Needless to say, no one from the party was apologetic or even concerned towards me for the same despite my repeated protests," she said.

Matondkar claimed some of the persons named in her letter for the "shoddy performance" of the Congress in the Mumbai North contest were "rewarded with newer positions" instead of fixing responsibilities.

Former MP and National Congress party member - Sanjay Nirupam - said on twitter, "Infighting is part & partial [parcel] of every organisations. We must fight against this instead of giving up. I had cautioned @UrmilaMatondkar long ago & told her not to get into it & have patience. Its unfortunate that she has resigned. Request her to rethink over her decision."

MLA and president of the Mumbai regional congress committee Milind Deora tweeted, "After @UrmilaMatondkar decided to fight LS elections from Mumbai North, I supported her campaign wholeheartedly as @INCMumbai President. I stood by her when she was let down by those who brought her into the party. Fully agree that Mumbai North leaders MUST be held accountable!"

Matondkar's statement is mum on her next political move.

However, she added that she stood by her "thoughts and ideologies" and will continue to work for the people "with honesty and dignity".

With inputs from PTI.