The 64-year-old actor refuted speculation about his participation in the polls

Mumbai:

Actor Sanjay Dutt today refuted a wave of speculations and said he will not join any political party or contest elections and will be the first to announce if he decides to do so. “I would like to put an end to all rumors about me entering politics. I will not join any political party, nor will I run in elections. If I decide to enter politics, I will be the first to announce it. Please do not believe what has been said about me so far. What’s going on in the news,” Mr. Dutt said in a post on X today.

I want to put to rest all rumors about my entering politics. I will not join any political party or stand in elections. If I do decide to enter politics, I will be the first to announce it. Please don’t believe what is circulating in the news…

— Sanjay Dutt (@duttsanjay) April 8, 2024

The post comes amid speculation that the 64-year-old actor will contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls as a Congress candidate from Karnal in Haryana. Some reports said the Congress was planning to give Mr Dutt a star power edge, while the BJP fielded heavyweight leader Manohar Lal Khattar, the former Haryana chief minister. Lal Khattar). The BJP won Karnal seat in 2014 and 2019 polls. Previously, the seat was held by Congress for two terms.

Sanjay Dutt was convicted in an Arms Act case for possessing illegal weapons obtained from the 1993 Mumbai blasts accused. He was sentenced to five years in prison and was released from prison in 2016.

Mr. Dutt has strong connections with Haryana as his ancestral village is in Yamuna Nagar district. Earlier, he came to the state to campaign for Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh leader Abhay Singh Chautala.

Sanjay Dutt’s father, actor Sunil Dutt, was a multiple-term MP and a minister in Manmohan Singh’s government. His sister Priya Dutt was also a member of Parliament. However, both his father and sister represent Mumbai Lok Sabha seats.