From Bihar, Fadnavis laughs off 'Kangana Ranaut BJP star campaigner' claim; slams Uddhav

Senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday dismissed speculations that ruling NDA in Bihar may rope in Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut as one of its star campaigners for upcoming assembly elections in state. Fadnavis also took potshots at Uddhav Thackeray, who has succeeded him as Maharashtra chief minister, saying that Shiv Sena chief seemed to be "more interested in fighting Kangana than battling corona".

'... biggest star campaigner'

"We need or star campaigner as NDA has, in Prime Minister Narendra Modi, biggest star campaigner," Fadnavis, who has been appointed as BJP's election in- charge in state, told reporters. He was responding to queries about reports in a section of media that Ranaut, who is considered sympatic towards BJP, might canvass for ruling coalition in Bihar in assembly elections due in October- vember.

About Ranaut's spat with Shiv Sena government in Maharashtra following demolition of a part of her house in Mumbai by municipal authorities, Fadnavis said, "Uddhav Thackeray needs to concentrate more on battling corona, by which state has been worst hit. But he seems to be more interested in settling scores with Kangana." Ranaut has been at loggerheads with Shiv Sena government following her outburst over death of Patna-born actor Sushant Singh Rajput.

governments of Maharashtra and Bihar had also engd in a tug of war after deceased actor's far K K Singh lodged a complaint at a Patna police station, accusing actress Rhea Chakraborty and ors of cheating and abetting his son's suicide. Maharashtra government-supported Chakraborty's contention that Bihar had ' jurisdiction' in matter and took exception to Nitish Kumar government recommending a CBI probe, which was later upheld by Supreme Court.

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Fadnavis, who has been touring Bihar since Friday, asserted that "re were big or little brors in NDA" and that JD(U), BJP and LJP will contest elections toger and achieve a huge victory.

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He made remark in response to queries about acrimony between Janata Dal (United), headed by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, and Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) which was founded by Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan and is w headed by his son Chirag Paswan. BJP leader also paid rich tributes to former Union minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, saying that he was an "ajeya yoddha" (unvanquished warrior). Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, who recently resigned from RJD, died at AIIMS, New Delhi, on Sunday.

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