Mumbai, Jan 3 (IANS): Bollywood's item girl Rakhi Sawant, known for making headlines with her bold statements, seems to have taken a fancy for politicians. After confessing that she has a soft corner for the Congress party general secretary Rahul Gandhi, the item girl now showers praises on Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray.

"I respect Raj-ji a lot. He is a very good man and his team is equally good. He is doing a great job. Don't see what is happening in the city, but see what, how he is helping the poor. I always say that Raj-ji is like a brother to me," the 33-year-old controversy queen said while attending a screening of "Don 2" with cancer patients.

"Kehte hain na ki jab seedhi ungli se ghee nahin nikalta hai toh ungli tedhi karni padti hai, aur koun nahin hai...And I don't find anything wrong in his conduct," she added.

When asked will she go and tie a rakhi to Raj, she promptly replied, "If bhai (Raj) asks me to come, I will surely go. What is wrong in that and I always send him rakhi."

The actress is clear when it comes to her career choices. She says she has no plans to join politics.

"Not at all, I don't understand politics. I am an artist, a normal artist, a normal human being and I don't know anything about politics. I don't think I should ever join that profession. We are artists and our work is to make people laugh. I have never thought about it and I have to do a lot of work in this industry," said Rakhi who had a dull 2011, except for a TV show "Ghazab Desh Ki Ajab Kahaaniyan".

Rakhi was last seen in item numbers in films "Rakhtbeej" and "Loot".