TV actor Shilpa Shinde joins Congress, snubs MNS

Television actor Shilpa Shinde Tuesday joined the Congress in the presence of its Mumbai unit chief Sanjay Nirupam.

The actor, who was a winner of the 11th season of the reality show Bigg Boss, told reporters at the induction function that she wanted Congress chief Rahul Gandhi to be the next Prime Minister.

"The Congress party has run the country for ages. This is why I decided to join it. Today, the country is in dire need of change and only the Congress can bring about this change," she said.

On a query about the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, which had supported her during her spat with the makers of a television serial after she was replaced in it, Shinde said the Raj Thackeray-led party focused only on "Marathi-speaking" people.

"The Congress does not look at any caste or religion while extending a helping hand to those in need. However, the MNS only focuses on Marathi-speaking people. When I needed help, the MNS gave a Marathi angle to my plight," she claimed.

She added that she was keen to contest elections, but did not specify if it was for the Lok Sabha or the state Assembly, both of which are scheduled for this year.

Nirupam said the country was unhappy with the current dispensation and people who believed in the core principles of the country were joining the Congress.