Congress candidate Urmila Matondkar rides bike to file poll papers from Mumbai North

Mumbai’s Lok Sabha candidates rushed to file the nominations a day before the deadline, paving the way for a direct fight between the two main alliances, the BJP-Shiv Sena and Congress-NCP. Newly inducted actor-turned-politician Congress candidate Urmila Matondkar rode a bike to file her poll papers from Mumbai North, where she has been fielded against BJP's Gopal Shetty. 

Urmila Matondkar, who joined the party last month after a meet with Congress Chief Rahul Gandhi, took out a roadshow after filing nomination and greeted crowds with folded hands from the sunroof of an SUV. She was seen wearing a turban.

In a tweet, she shared a picture of the roadshow and thanked people for the "immense support". "Thank you all members of media and all my supporters for immense support. #AapliMumbaichiMulagi, (sic)" she wrote.

On her journey as a politician, she told the media:

"The journey will be long... and I am sure it will be fruitful. I am very confident and I can feel people's support." 

Read: IN PICS | Sanjay Dutt Joins Priya Dutt, Urmila Matondkar Accompanied By Husband As The Congress Leaders File Nominations For Lok Sabha Elections

Ms Matondkar, who has appeared in popular Hindi films like "Rangeela" and "Satya" and in the critically-acclaimed "Masoom" as a child artist, has been surrounded by controversies since she joined politics.

She came under fire on Twitter for using Indian Air Force pilot Abhinandan Varthaman's photo during a roadside campaign. The Election Commission in a directive told political parties to not use the images of armed forces personnel in poll campaigns.

Earlier, a complaint was filed by a BJP worker, Suresh Nakhua, against Ms Matondkar, who accused her of making anti-Hindu comments in a TV interview. Dismissing the complaint, filed last week, as "bogus, baseless and filled with ulterior motives", Ms Matondkar had said: "I have been grossly misquoted by the complainant, who is a BJP member, with malafide intentions.

Read: Sanjay Dutt Issues Statement On Rumours Of Him Contesting Lok Sabha Polls, Issues Public Appeal. Read Here

(With inputs from agencies)