Comedian Shyam Rangeela, known for his impressions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has announced that he will contest the Lok Sabha elections from Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. Mr Rangeela plans to run as an Independent candidate. He said that he would provide voters in Varanasi with an alternative choice, unlike in Surat and Indore, where BJP's Mukesh Dalal and Shankar Lalwani won uncontested.

Some facts about Shyam Rangeela

1. Shyam Rangeela, whose real name is Shyam Sundar, was born in 1994 and comes from the Manaktheri Barani village of Rajasthan's Hanumangarh district. 

2. Despite initially pursuing an animation course, Mr Rangeela's passion for comedy led him into mimicry and stand-up. 

3. In 2017, Rangeela's flawless mimicry of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the stage of The Great Indian Laughter Challenge shot him to fame. The video went viral on social media and made him an overnight star. He also mimicked former Congress president Rahul Gandhi.   

4. In 2022, Shyam Rangeela joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Rajasthan. Before joining the party, he even tagged PM Modi in his tweets and said it was disappointing that couldn't go on TV shows because the people "fear you", asking if his "mimicry was a crime". 

5. Mr Rangeela claimed that he had supported PM Modi and the BJP in the 2014 general elections. He, however, said that growing "intolerance towards satire and mimicry of politicians" over the last 10 years made him change his mind and compelled him to take a plunge in politics.