From correspondents in Maharashtra, India, 11:00 PM IST

Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt will be 'welcomed' with open arms and a Lok Sabha ticket, if he decides to join the Samajwadi Party (SP), state party chief Abu Asim Azmi said Wednesday.

Azmi, a parliament member, told IANS that he and party's national leader Amar Singh briefly called on Dutt to felicitate him after a Mumbai court declared his marriage with Manyata 'valid' here Wednesday.

'Singh is a family friend of the Dutts and I spent time in jail with Sanjay, so our relations go beyond politics. However, we did not discuss politics, it was purely a courtesy visit,' said Azmi.

When asked whether SP would give a party ticket to Dutt, Azmi said: 'Why not? He has already campaigned for our party candidate Jayaprada. If he is willing to join SP, we are willing to put up him as a candidate anywhere.'

The SP leaders called on Dutt to felicitate the couple after a Mumbai court declared their recent marriage as valid.

Dutt is expected to leave for the US shortly to meet Trishala, his daughter from previous marriage.

(Staff Writer, © IANS)