Mumbai: Marathi television actor Dr Amol Kolhe has quit the Shiv Sena and joined the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Friday in presence of NCP leader Ajit Pawar, state president Jayant Patil and Chhagan Bhujbal.
Speculations are rife that Dr Kolhe may be the NCP’s candidate from Shirur Parliamentary constituency against Shiv Sena’s Shivaji Adhalrao Patil.
However, NCP’s Jayant Patil refused to talk about Dr Kolhe’s candidature and said the party has not discussed it.
Dr Kolhe was a deputy leader in Shiv Sena and was a star campaigner in 2014 assembly election. He was in charge of Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad civic elections. After the election, he accepted the responsibility of Shiv Sena’s defeat in this election. While joining Shiv Sena, he said that the Shiv Sena is the only party that follows Shivaji Maharaj’s ideology.
Dr Kolhe is also the producer and actor of the popular Marathi TV serial ‘Chhatrapati Sambhaji’ and currently playing the lead role of Chhatrapati Sambhaji serial. The serial is based on the life of Sambhaji, son of warrior King Shivaji.
Addressing a press conference along with NCP leaders Dr Kolhe said, “There is a need to guide the youths of the country and NCP Chief Sharad Pawar is capable of giving the right direction to them. I want to strengthen his hands,”
“Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray is a cultured person and I am very lucky to get a chance to work with him,” he added.
Dr Kolhe said that he was quitting the party as “some decisions have to be taken at the right time”. He added that he would continue his acting career but spare time for political work when the NCP wanted, he said.
Asked about speculation that Kolhe may contest the Lok Sabha election on a NCP ticket from Shirur, state NCP president Jayant Patil said the party had not discussed this issue with him.
“We will announce all the candidates when they are finalised,” Patil said.
Former NCP MLA from Badnapur Arvind Chavan, who had switched over to the BJP in 2014, also reunited with the NCP along with Dr Kolhe.