Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad, who faced the ire of people from across the country for assaulting an Air India staffer with a slipper, has found a doppelganger to deal with hordes of people seeking to take selfies with him.
According to a Mumbai Mirror report, Gaikwad now travels along with Ratnakant Sagar, with whom he bears a striking resemblance. Ravindra Gaikwad has also instructed Sagar to dress in his kurta-pyjama, while he roams about in a casual t-shirt and jeans.
The report claims that a few people who saw Gaikwad approached him, however, he directed them to Sagar, saying that’s my boss Ravisaheb Gaikwad. He introduced himself as “Gaikwad’s secretary”. The doppelganger obliged all selfie-seekers with folded hands.
Gaikwad has reportedly said that after the Air India incident and the ‘media trial’, many people have started recognising him and they request for selfies. Since he doesn’t like to turn them away, he has chosen party worker Ratnakant Sagar, who has been working with him for a long time, to pose as him. As there is a striking resemblance, Gaikwad gave him his kurta and pyjamas to make it appear that he is indeed the Sena MP.
Angry at being given an economy class seat in a flight that did not have business class, Gaikwad had assaulted an Air India staffer with his slippers “25 times”. The Lok Sabha MP from Osmanabad in Maharasthra, was travelling from Pune to Delhi on Air India’s flight AI 852 when the incident happened.
No stranger to controversies – he once forcefed a Muslim caterer during the fasting month of Ramzan over the quality of chapatis served at the Maharashtra Sadan in Delhi. Although the flying ban on him has been revoked, Gaikwad insists that he will continue to travel by train.
