Rakhi Sawant joins RPI, says ready to fight against Raj Thackeray

Mumbai: After her miserable electoral debutin Lok Sabha elections, Bollywood starlet Rakhi Sawant today joined Ramdas Athawale-led RPI and said she would not hesitate to contest the upcoming assembly polls against MNS chief Raj Thackeray.

"I am scared of none," she said when asked if she would throw her hat in the electoral ring against Raj Thackeray. In a departure from Thackeray clan's tradition of not contesting elections, the MNS chief had recently announced he would be in the fray in assembly polls due in October.

Sawant, who had polled barely 1,995 votes in her maiden tryst with electoral politics, contesting from Mumbai North-West seat as a candidate of 'Rashtriya Aam Party' founded by her just before the polls, was appointed chief of RPI(A)'s state women's wing.

Announcing her induction into the party Athawale said, "Rakhi is a known face in every household. She is known not only in cities, but in villages as well. Her popularity will definitely help us in the forthcoming elections." "Rakhi is not only an actress, but an avid social worker too. We want to have more artistes in the party who believe in doing social work so that more and more people can relate to us," he said.

Replying to a query, Athawale, whose party is one of the five constituents of 'Mahayuti', an alliance of five parties including Shiv Sena and BJP, said the actress could be fielded in the assembly polls. "Rakhi hasn't decided if she would like to be a candidate in the upcoming assembly elections. But if she decides to, we will talk to our allies and take a decision. If all goes well, her candidature is a possibility," he said.

The 35-year-old actress said she could become chief minister one day. "Forgive me for saying this Athawale ji, but I can definitely become a CM in the future," she said. Sawant described her failed Lok Sabha bid as "rehearsal" and said she is now ready to campaign for RPI armed with experience.