Nafisa Ali

Nafisa Ali is an actor and social activist, who was born to Roman Catholic mother and Indian photographer Ahmed Ali, son of S. Wajid Ali, in 1957. She had accomplishments in many fields. She was the national swimming champion from 1972-1974 and won the Miss India crown in 1976.

Nafisa started her political career in 2004. She contested the Lok Sabha elections unsuccessfully from South Kolkata. In September 2005, she was appointed the chairperson of the Children's Film Society of India.

On 5th April 2009, days after the Supreme Court barred Sanjay Dutt from contesting the Lok Sabha elections by refusing to stay the film star's conviction in the Bombay Blasts case, the Samajwadi Party announced her name as its candidate from the prestigious Lucknow seat.

The candidature of Nafisa Ali was announced by party General Secretary Amar Singh and 'Munnabhai' Sanjay Dutt at a press conference.

"Congress had alomost finalised Nafisa Ali's name for Lucknow. But I am honoured that when I asked Nafisa to contest the Lucknow seat on SP ticket instead of Sanjay Dutt, Nafisa said she believes in policies of Samajwadi Party. So she agreed to contest the Lucknow seat on SP ticket," said Amar Singh.

Ali will contest the Lok Sabha election from Lucknow on a Samajwadi Party ticket and the actor-turned-politician and SP general secretary Sanjay Dutt will campaign for her.

Confident of winning, Ali said: "I am happy to have been selected by SP to represent Lucknow. I have a long association with the city and I will combat all those who have a communal agenda. I will win from here."

Earlier, Nafisa had contested as Congress nominee from Kolkata seat in the last elections.