Immediately after the courts declined Sanjay Dutt the opportunity to contest the Lok Sabha elections the Samajwadi Party leaders got into a huddle and decided Sanjay’s wife Maanyata should take his place in the Lucknow constituency.
To everyone’s surprise it was Sanjay Dutt who vetoed the idea.
Says a very reliable source, “The party heads were very clear on Mrs Maanyata Dutt’s candidacy after Mr Dutt was out of the fray. Surprisingly it was Sanjay Dutt who shot down the idea. For the first time Sanjay dodged his political mentor Amar Singhji’s advice and very firmly declared that his wife won’t be any part of politics.”
According to the source Sanjay is very clear on his wife’s role and function.In fact Sanjay wasn’t too keen on his sister Priya entering politics either and had advised her against it.
Says the source, “He married Maanyata because he wanted a woman who could look after his home. Maanyata too is very happy to be what the couple calls a ‘working housewife’ who looks after every aspect of Sanjay’s life from the domestic to the business side.
Maanyata handles everything from the food that Sanjay eats, to the clothes that he wears to the friends that he meets to the films that he chooses. Frankly, Sanjay Dutt panicked at the thought of his wife stepping out into the political arena.”
When Maanyata’s name came up at the emergency meeting Dutt took his political mentor aside and explained that a political career for his wife was not what he had in mind.
“To his credit Amar Singh completely understood Sanjay’s point of view and decided not to pursue the matter any further, ”says the source.
Maanyata’s name as a substitute to Sanjay’s candidature was dropped immediately…But not before Maanyata too made it clear that she was thoroughly in agreement with her husband on his refusal to let her enter politics.
Says the source, “Maanyata personally called up Amar Singh and excused herself from getting into the rajneeti fray. She told him she was more than happy being Mrs Sanjay Dutt and to look after his home. His political career, she said, would look after itself.”
The Samajwadi Party has now chalked out a political plan of action for Sanjay Dutt wherein the actor will remain actively involved with the party politics without contesting the elections.
