From supporter to challenger: Meet comedian Shyam Rangeela, PM Modi's opponent from Varanasi

Comedian Shyam Rangeela, renowned for his mimicry of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, took to social media on Wednesday to announce his decision to contest the Lok Sabha elections from Varanasi, challenging PM Modi himself.

In a post on X, Rangeela said, "I am excited by the love I am receiving from all of you after the announcement to contest elections from Varanasi. I will soon present my views to you on my nomination and contesting the elections through a video message after reaching Varanasi."

Speaking to the media, he said, "In 2014, I was a follower of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. I shared many videos supporting the Prime Minister. Videos were also shared against Rahul Gandhi and Arvind Kejriwal. Seeing them, one could say that I will vote only for the Bharatiya Janata Party for the next 70 years. But the situation has changed in the last 10 years... I will now contest against the Prime Minister in the Lok Sabha polls as an Independent candidate."

In an interview with the media, Rangeela reflected on his past support for PM Modi during the 2014 elections and his subsequent shift in stance over the years. He emphasized the need for alternative choices in the political landscape and expressed his intention to provide the people of Varanasi with an option during the voting process.

Asserting his independence from established political parties, Rangeela declared his candidacy as an Independent candidate for the Varanasi Lok Sabha seat. He aimed to offer voters a distinct choice in contrast to the prevalent political scenario in other constituencies like Surat and Indore.