Actor-turned-politician Kangana Ranaut hit the headlines when she flayed her BJP colleague Tejasvi Surya by mistake while trying to attack her namesake Tejashwi Yadav of the RJD.
Ranaut made fun of Surya for "hooliganism and fish consumption" in her remarks, which were directed at what she called a "party of spoilt princes".
The actual target of her jibe, Tejashwi, triggered a political debate when a video went viral recently, showing him savouring on fish fry on the eve of Chaitra Navratri. BJP leaders accused him of hurting the Hindu sentiment by doing so on an auspicious day.
Ranaut has been openly critical of the Congress since the BJP nominated her as its candidate from Mandi, Himachal Pradesh. She has specifically aimed at Rahul Gandhi and Vikramaditya Singh in her election rallies. She said that the party's emphasis on unworkable problems and reliance on dynastic heritage for political influence were reasons behind its failure.
The political atmosphere in Mandi has turned more intense with the June 1 poll date coming closer. Ranaut threw a barb at Rahul Gandhi and Vikramaditya Singh during a recent campaign rally in Manali by claiming that there is a “Bada Pappu” in Delhi and a “Chhota Pappu" in Himachal.
Vikramaditya, a descendant of the former Rampur estate. He is the son of Pratibha Singh, the head of the state Congress, and late Virbhadra Singh, a six-time chief minister of the state, will take on the Bollywood star on the poll turf.
Kanagana's election rallies see a rush for selfies and group shots as she is the first celebrity to run for the office in Himachal. Videos of the Mandi-born actress dancing with local ladies and cleaning temple grounds while on campaign have gone viral. She stresses on her origin as a daughter of Mandi and is often seen speaking in local languages with voters. (With inputs from agencies)
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