Kangana Ranaut Not Happy With Shankaracharya’s Remarks Against CM Shinde

BJP MP and actress Kangana Ranaut has come out in support of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, after Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati, the Shankaracharya of Jyotirmath, accused Shinde of “betrayal” and claimed that former CM Uddhav Thackeray was a “victim of betrayal”.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Ranaut defended Shinde’s actions, stating that political alliances, treaties, and party divisions are “very normal and constitutional” occurrences, citing the historical examples of the Congress party’s divisions in 1907 and 1971. She questioned whether a politician who does not engage in politics should instead “sell golgappas”.

Ranaut also invoked religious principles, arguing that “if the king himself starts exploiting his subjects, then treason is the ultimate religion”. She accused the Shankaracharya of “misusing his words and influence” and “hurting the sentiments of all” by using “derogatory words” against Shinde, labeling him a “traitor and a betrayer”.

The BJP MP’s strong defense of Shinde comes in the wake of the Shankaracharya’s vocal support for Thackeray, who lost his position as Chief Minister after Shinde’s rebellion and the subsequent formation of a new government in alliance with the BJP.