Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Govinda joins Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena, may contest from Mumbai North-West

Ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Bollywood actor Govinda has returned to politics. On Thursday, March 28, the yesteryear superstar joined Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. In a video shared by news agency ANI, CM Shinde welcomed Govinda into the party with a Shiv Sena scarf around his neck and a flag in his hand.

Speaking to the media, the veteran actor said he was in politics from 2004 to 2009 — in the 14th Lok Sabha. "This is an amazing coincidence that today I have come into politics again after 14 years," he said about his move to contest in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Govinda said many cities had taken inspiration from Mumbai, adding that with CM Shinde, he would like to work on bringing Mumbai closer to the dream they always saw for it.

According to reports, Govinda may contest the 2024 general elections from the North-West Mumbai seat on the Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) ticket against Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Amol Kirtikar.

Amol Kirtikar is the son of the sitting MP from Shinde camp Gajanan Kirtikar.

Speculations over Govinda's re-entry into politics gained traction after he met Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde earlier in the day, India Today reported.

This was their second meeting in a week, it added.

Govinda previously contested the Mumbai North parliamentary seat successfully in 2004 on a Congress ticket. Back then, the 'Hero No. 1' defeated BJP's five-time MP Ram Naik. However, the actor later parted ways with the Congress party and announced that he would not contest the 2009 Lok Sabha polls.

In the 2019 polls, Gajanan Kirtikar defeated Congress' Sanjay Nirupam by over 2.6 lakh votes from the North-West Mumbai seat.

This seat has previously been represented by veteran lawyer Ram Jethmalani and legendary actor Sunil Dutt.

Earlier, on Wednesday (March 27), the Enforcement Directorate (ED) summoned Amol Kirtikar in connection with his alleged involvement in the ‘khichdi’ scam.

The khichdi scam in Maharashtra pertains to irregularities in awarding contracts to people for distributing khichdi to migrant workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Maharashtra, which has the second-most Lok Sabha seats after Uttar Pradesh, will go to polls in five phases from April 19 to May 20. In the state, voting for the 2024 elections will take place on April 19, April 26, May 7, May 13 and May 20, while polling for all six parliamentary constituencies in Mumbai will be held in the fifth phase.

The counting of votes will be done on June 4.