Govindas poll campaign in North Mumbai is on the verge of crashing.
Congressmen have almost completely withdrawn from the campaign, citing his Bollywood-style late turnouts, his general lack of discipline and accessibility and his hobnobbing with Independent MLA Hitendra Thakur.
An alarmed Govinda has now sent an SOS to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, requesting her to intervene.
He has also approached Congress candidate from North-West Mumbai Sunil Dutt asking him to help sort out differences with party workers.
The Congressmen are miffed that Govinda never starts his day before 11 am and always arrives late for rallies and meetings.
On Sunday, he arrived two-and-a-half hours late for two meetings and missed four at Anandnagar, Ketkipada, Rawalpada and Kajupada in the Borivali-Dahisar belt due to his indiscipline, they have alleged.
We have over 25,000 voters in these areas, they were waiting to meet him. How can we alienate them? This is not a film shoot where you keep the whole unit waiting. Everywhere people stand with garlands and wait for autographs, and if he doesnt turn up, they get angry, a Congress leader said.
Congressmen also allege he is doing things his own way, without allowing them any say. In spite of their unhappiness over his display of friendship with Hitendra Thakur, who was expelled from the party in 1994 due to underworld links, he has been flaunting his links and causing them embarrassment, they have said.
Minister of State for Home Kripashankar Singh was given the task of co-ordinating Govindas campaign. Even he is not seen with him these days, the actor is fighting his battle alone, Congress sources said.
Govinda denied he had spoken to Sonia, saying these are rumours being spread by my adversaries," and said he was not having any trouble with Congress activists.
I dont understand why they should be angry with me. Even people from the Janata Dal, Republican Party of India and the Nationalist Congress Party are working for me. If they dont have a problem, how can Congress workers have any? he asked.
He stressed that contrary to charges, he had been campaigning from 9 am every day.
However, at the same time, he said: But how can I attend meetings on schedule if party workers start behaving like fans?
Its a riot everyone wants to come close to me, they want me even for opening party offices. Party workers are supposed to work but here it is different. This is not done.
Govinda had launched his campaign against five-time BJP MP from North Mumbai Ram Naik with a bang. Congressmen feel it should not end in a whimper, but say there may ultimately be no way out of this mess.
