Sanjay Dutt to join politics

  • Entertainment Desk, Barta24.com
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Photo: Collected

Photo: Collected

Bollywood star actor Sanjay Dutt is set to re-enter politics, according to a minister from Maharashtra.

Sanjay Dutt, 60, is set to join the Rashtriya Samaj Paksh (RSP) on September 25, party founder and Cabinet minister Mahadev Jankar disclosed on Sunday.

বিজ্ঞাপন

The RSP is a junior ally of the ruling BJP in Maharashtra.

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বিজ্ঞাপন

Mahadev Jankar said the RSP was tapping the film industry to expand his party which mainly represents ''Dhangar'' or the shepherd community. "...We have started working in the film sector as well to expand our party. As part of which, actor Sanjay Dutt is also joining the Rashtriya Samaj Paksh on September 25," Jankar, who holds Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development portfolios, announced while addressing a party event.

He also played a pre-recorded video of the actor in which the latter has greeted the RSP and addressed Jankar as his "brother".

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The RSP has been part of the BJP-led NDA since the 2014 Maharashtra Assembly elections. Out of the six candidates, RSP candidate Rahul Kul had won from Daund seat.

Jankar unsuccessfully contested against NCP chief Sharad Pawar from Madha Lok Sabha constituency in 2009.

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Sanjay Dutt was a Samajwadi Party (SP) candidate for the Lucknow Lok Sabha constituency in 2009 but withdrew after the court refused to suspend his conviction under the Arms Act. He was later appointed as the general secretary of the SP but resigned and subsequently quit the party.

Ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, rumours were doing rounds about Sanjay Dutt might contest. He had then denied the reports.

Dutt's father late Sunil Dutt had represented Mumbai North West constituency as a Congress leader for five terms. He had also served as the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports in the UPA-I government during 2004-May 2005 before his death.

Sanjay Dutt's sister Priya Dutt is a former MP of the Congress from Mumbai.