Nagma keeps celebrity status aside, vows to win poll by hard work

New Delhi: Film star Nagma, who is contesting the Lok Sabha election on Congress ticket from Meerut in UP, is creating waves. Her political debut promises to be as promising as her film debut with Baaghi, a blockbuster that proved to be the seventh-highest grosser. However, surprising everyone, Nagma has vowed not to woo voters with her celebrity status, but to win elections by the sheer dint of her hard work.

The Congress announced Nagma's candidature in its second list on March 13, replacing Dayanand Gupta, from Meerut parliamentary constituency. Nagma has been working in the Congress for the past 10 years, since 2004. She claimed to put in as much hard work in politics as she put into her film career.

Born Nandita Morarji, to a Hindu father and a Muslim mother on December 25, 1974, she was rechristened Nagma. Her parents had already separated by the time she was born and her mother married a film producer. Nagma reportedly remained close to her biological father, Arvind Pratapsinh Morarji, who had links with the Jaisalmer royal family.

Her mixed parentage of a Muslim mother and Hindu father made her a candidate for Meerut. Nagma, who started her career in Hindi films in 1990, turned to the South in 1992 with her films in Telugu like Gharana Mogudu with Chiranjeevi, Allari Alludu with Nagarjuna Akkineni and Major Chandrakant with NTR and Mohan Babu.

She went on to star in several hits in Tamil and Telugu films, and was called the Queen of the South. The prolific actor has featured in films in 10 languages so far, most recently in Bhojpuri cinema. Her political debut, however, has not been that smooth. Local legislator Gajraj Singh grabbed Nagma's face and allegedly kissed her on the cheek in visuals that went viral on the web. Nagma was also seen slapping a man, who allegedly tried to harass her. During her very first visit, Nagma appealed to UPA ally Ajit Singh's Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) to support her bid to win the Meerut seat.

Highlighting farmers' issues, she alleged that the ruling Samajwadi Party government in UP had failed to transfer the benefits of Central schemes to agriculturalists in UP. Nagma joined the Congress just before the 2004 Lok Sabha elections, but had so far only campaigned for the party and its candidates. Her name was discussed in previous elections as a possible Lok Sabha candidate and even for the Rajya Sabha, but she was overlooked each time.

Surging crowds at her public meetings are encouraging bit will it convert into votes, is the big question. The crowds guarantee a box-office hit, not an election win. Fate of the 39-year-old star in Meerut hangs in the balance.