Kangana Ranaut, the Bollywood actress turned Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) politician, has found herself in hot water after a verbal fumble during a rally in Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, where she mistakenly targeted her own party colleague instead of an opposition leader due to the similarity in names.
During the rally, Ranaut intended to criticize Tejashwi Yadav, the leader of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), but ended up mentioning Tejasvi Surya, BJP’s Bengaluru South MP, instead. Her statement drew attention as she referred to a video of Tejashwi Yadav eating fish, sparking a controversy between the BJP and the opposition.
In response to Ranaut’s comments, Tejashwi Yadav expressed confusion, asking, “Who is this lady?” on social media.
Ranaut’s verbal misstep is part of a broader series of criticisms she has leveled against the Congress party and its leaders, including late figures like Motilal Nehru, father of former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. Her accusations have led to a complaint filed against her with the Election Commission by the Congress party.
Furthermore, Ranaut’s remarks about dynastic politics and the country’s leadership have ignited a war of words between her and Congress leaders such as Vikramaditya Singh and Rahul Gandhi, whom she is contesting against in the Mandi Lok Sabha constituency.
The BJP candidate’s comments on Nehru’s ascendancy and dynastic rule have been met with rebuttals from Congress officials, urging her to verify her statements and address the issue of dynastic politics within her own party.
Amidst these controversies, the Mandi Lok Sabha constituency gears up for voting on June 1 during the seventh phase of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, setting the stage for a heated political showdown.