Don’t want to be Hema Malini: RLD’s Jayant Chaudhary kicks up row

Lucknow, Feb 02: Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief Jayant Chaudhary kicked up a controversy after he dragged actress-turned-politician Hema Malini during a public rally in Mathura and made sexist remarks.

Addressing a rally ahead of Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, Chaudhary said, "I don't know what all they keep saying about me...Not that they have any love or feeling for me. I tell them -- 'What will you get by appeasing me? I don't want to be Hema Malini? What will you do for the people? What have you done for the families of the seven farmers? Why is Ajay Mishra Teni still a minister?".

Shah's remark was an apparent reference to the RLD chief forming a pre-poll alliance with Akhilesh Yadav led Samajwadi Party which has emerged as the main challenger to the BJP in the upcoming UP elections 2022.

Reacting to Jayant's statement, BJP leader Anurag Thakur said that the "RLD chief can't become Hema Malini even if he wanted to. She, as an actress and politician, has a stand in the country and world. Hema Ji has continuously worked for Mathura, whereas even RLD workers have to go to Delhi to meet Jayant.