Who Is Jayant Chaudhary? Politician Sparks Controversy For Hema Malini Remark

Jayant Chaudhary while campaigning in Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday, sparked controversy by claiming that Amit Shah told a party colleague that if he joins the BJP, he will be made Hema Malini. "I don't want to be Hema Malini" he said while claiming that there were similar talks about him joining the party. Chaudhary's statement has been called sexist by many social media users. 

Jayant Chaudhary, the chairman of the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) in Uttar Pradesh, claimed of his party's leader on stage with him: "Yogesh (Nauhwar) stated that Amit Shah had instructed him, "Yogesh, join us." I'll make you Hema Malini." Hearing Chaudhary's speech, his audience laughed and cheered. Hema Malini is a Member of the Parliament of BJP from Mathura.

"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?" RJD leader said.

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Here is what we know about the politician:

- Jayant is the father of two children. He is the grandson of former Indian Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh and the son of former Union Minister Chaudhary Ajit Singh.

- He is the National President of the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) and has served in the 15th Lok Sabha as a member of Parliament from Mathura, Uttar Pradesh (2009–2014).

- The Standing Committee on Commerce, the Consultative Committee on Finance, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), and the Committee on Government Assurances all had Jayant Singh Chaudhary as a member.

- He has previously served on the Agriculture and Environment Standing Committees.

- He campaigned for Mathura again in the 2014 Indian general election, but lost to BJP candidate Hema Malini.

Jayant Chaudhary previously made news when he turned down the BJP's offers, and now a controversial statement like this has brought him back into the spotlight. Anurag Thakur, a BJP Union minister, has retaliated by saying, "She (Hema Malini) was elected to Parliament with the public's blessings not once, but several times. True, he will never be Hema Malini." At a press conference, Anurag Thakur stated, "He does not have the people's blessing."