MUMBAI: Veteran actor Sayaji Shinde on Friday joined the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party ahead of assembly elections in Maharashtra.
Shinde, who has acted in films in several Indian languages, joined the party here in the presence of Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, working president of the party Praful Patel, and state NCP chief Sunil Tatkare.
The actor will be the party's star campaigner for the assembly elections, expected to be held next month, said Pawar.
"Shinde will be given due respect in the party," he added.
Speaking on the occasion, 65-year-old Shinde noted 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 added.
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.