Ahead Of Maharashtra Polls, Actor Sayaji Shinde Joins Ajit Pawar-Led NCP

Actor Sayaji Shinde joins NCP in the presence of Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar and other senior NCP leaders in Mumbai. (Photo: ANI)

Maharashtra News: In a key development in Maharashtra ahead of Assembly elections, veteran actor Sayaji Shinde on Friday joined the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party.

Shinde joined the party in Mumbai in the presence of Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, working president of the party Praful Patel, and state NCP chief Sunil Tatkare. He has acted in films in several Indian languages.

#WATCH | Actor Sayaji Shinde joins NCP in the presence of Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar and other senior NCP leaders in Mumbai. pic.twitter.com/u9F2amjJLE

— ANI (@ANI) October 11, 2024

After the actor joined NCP, Pawar said that the actor will be the party's star campaigner for the assembly elections, expected to be held next month. "Shinde will be given due respect in the party," he further stated.

Speaking on the occasion, 65-year-old Shinde said that he has played a politician in several films. "I was impressed by Ajit Pawar's style of functioning," the actor said, adding that he interacted with Pawar when working for his favorite cause of afforestation. "To work more effectively, I need to be a part of the system," he further stated.

Born in western Maharashtra's Satara district, Shinde started his acting career in Marathi theatre. His big break in Bollywood came with the 1999 film "Shool," where he played the villain.

Besides Marathi and Hindi, he has acted in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, English, Gujarati, and Bhojpuri films.

State minister and NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal noted that Shinde's filmography spans Marathi, Hindi, and south Indian films. "We feel proud that he is being associated with us. Shinde is also a social activist," Bhujbal said.

(With agencies inputs)