Govinda aala re. It is time for the people of Mumbai North constituency to sing and jump for joy as the actor-turned-politician has at last remembered them.At a press conference here on Friday evening, Govinda said he would start touring his constituency from Saturday onwards.On his alleged absence from the constituency, he said, “I was never given a free hand. Had I got that, I would have been able to provide the best of services for my constituency.” However, he refused to identify those who were responsible for restricting him. “A group of people are trying to malign my image because they are scared of me as I could defeat a strong politician and take his place. I do not know who these people are — they could be from the opposition party, from my party, or from my family,” he added.Citing his handicaps, the actor, better known for his dancing skills, said: “Almost 70 per cent of those working for the Congress (in my constituency) still belong to the Ram Naik camp because they have been under him for 25 years. This is still Ram Naik’s stronghold in that area.”The “Virar ka chhora” said health would be his immediate concern. “I plan to build a big hospital with the same facilities as hospitals like Lilavati in Borivali-Dahisar area. I have chosen this area because a hospital here could cater to the people from Virar-Vasai as well as from Goregaon side,” he said, adding he was looking for an appropriate plot for this purpose. His other plans include providing Ayurvedic centres for the poor, ambulances at stations, walking places for senior citizens. He also intends to make available boats in those sectors in his constituency which get flooded during rains. “For all these projects, I will utilise funds worth Rs 5 crore from the state and also Rs 5-7 lakh from Nirmala Devi Trust,” he added.In the last six months of the year, Govinda would focus on education and build a college. Trying to sound that he had not completely forgotten his constituency, he claimed to have solved at least 70 per cent of the water shortage problem in his constituency and to have increased local trains in Virar-Vasai. “In future, we are planning to build a junction at Vasai and get rid of water problem in the remaining areas,” he added.
