Bollywood actress Urmila Matondkar resigns from Congress, cites 'petty in-house politics'

"I hereby resign from Indian National Congress as a member and from any post held in the INC. I thank you for giving me the opportunity to work for INC," Matondkar said in her resignation letter to Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi.

Urmila's resignation from the Congress came barely five months after she joined the party, ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Matondkar had contested as a Congress candidate from Mumbai North. She, however lost, in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

In a statement, the actress turned politician cited 'vested in the party' and 'petty in-house politics' are the reasons to quit 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.

In her letter, Matondkar pointed out that among the reasons for her resignation was the fact that the party failed to act on her complaint to the then Mumbai Congress president Milind Deora over the leaked letter describing the wrongdoings in the polls.

"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 May 16th, 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," said Matondkar in the statement.

"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", she further said.

"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," she added.

"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," she said.

Last week, the Congress had appointed Eknath Gaikwad as acting president of Mumbai Regional Congress, two months after Deora resigned from the post.