Scoffing at reports that all is not well between her and actor-brother Sanjay Dutt, Congress MP Priya Dutt today said their relationship was above petty politics. "Fighting
over contesting a Lok Sabha election is the last thing we can even think of.
There is no animosity between us. In fact, being the youngest in the family, my decision to contest the bye-election after our father's death was taken in consulation with
Sanjay who is the eldest after our father, " Priya told.
Priya said she has always maintained that she does not have the "ownership" of the Lok Sabha constituency
represented by her father for five consecutive times.
"After his death, the ticket to contest the bye-election was given to me by the party as a responsibility. I have tried to live up to the responsibility with all efforts.
If the party re-nominates me, Sanjay will be very happy and support my candidature. So also me if Sanjay is given the ticket, " she said.
Without naming any Congress functionary from her parliamentary constituency, Priya admitted there was a sustained effort to create differences between her and her
brother.
Priya said her Mumbai north-West parliamentary constituency has now been split into Mumbai north Central and Mumbai north West, post
delimitation.
She lamented that factors like religion, caste had seeped deep into electoral politics aimed at dividing the voters. "This kind of polarisation is bad for the society and the
nation, " she added.
Saturday, June 21, 2008 13:00 IST