Sanjay Dutt all set for political debut on SP ticket

New Delhi, Jan 8 (PTI) Following in the footsteps of his father and sister, Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt is all set to make his political debut with Samajwadi Party today naming him as its candidate in the Lok Sabha elections from Lucknow seat which is now represented by Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The party took the decision to field the 49-year-old superstar at its central parliamentary board meeting held here today.
SP general secretary Amar Singh announced the decision to field 26 other candidates, including party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, from Mainpuri. Reacting to the decision, Sanjay's sister and Congress MP Priya Dutt said in Mumbai that "he (Sanjay) has a desire to serve people and I think the best platform is politics.
This is the choice he has made and I wish him all the best." Sanjay's father the late Sunil Dutt, who was also a major star in Hindi films during 60s and 70s, was a five-time Congress MP while his sister Priya was elected to the Lok Sabha on a Congress ticket in a bye-election after Dutt's death.
In 1980, Sanjay's mother Nargis Dutt, a renowned actress, was nominated to Rajya Sabha. While Sunil Dutt and Priya entered Lok Sabha on Congress tickets, Sanjay will contest as a SP candidate, a key ally of Congress.
Since Sanjay was convicted under the Arms Act and is out on bail, the SP would seek the permission of the Supreme Court, where the matter is pending, and the Election Commission to field him.